Childcare Background

State of Hawaii Child Care Subsidy Program
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The Child Care Subsidy Program helps low-income families to sustain their employment, educational efforts, and job training by paying a subsidy for their children who are in the care of DHS-approved Child Care Providers. Unless Child Care is required for protective purposes, families must meet income and activity requirements to qualify for this subsidy program.

The Child Care Subsidy Program helps low-income families to sustain their employment, educational efforts, and job training by paying a subsidy... Learn More


The Preschool Open Doors (POD) program is a separate subsidy program with funds that provides services state-wide to families sending their children to a licensed preschool during the two (2) school years prior to kindergarten entry. The goal of POD is to promote school readiness for children, and the program focuses on meeting the needs of the child. Parents are not required to have an eligible activity, unlike the Child Care Subsidy program, but they must meet income and other eligibility requirements. For POD, there is an initial application period established and published each year with the possibility of additional application periods dependent on the availability of funding.

The Preschool Open Doors (POD) program is a separate subsidy program with funds that provides services state-wide to families sending their children to a licensed preschool... Learn More

State of Hawaii Child Care Subsidy Program
Apply now!

The Child Care Subsidy Program helps low-income families to sustain their employment, educational efforts, and job training by paying a subsidy for their children who are in the care of DHS-approved Child Care Providers. Unless Child Care is required for protective purposes, families must meet income and activity requirements to qualify for this subsidy program.

The Child Care Subsidy Program helps low-income families to sustain their employment, educational efforts, and job training by paying a subsidy... Learn More


The Preschool Open Doors (POD) program is a separate subsidy program with funds that provides services state-wide to families sending their children to a licensed preschool during the two (2) school years prior to kindergarten entry. The goal of POD is to promote school readiness for children, and the program focuses on meeting the needs of the child. Parents are not required to have an eligible activity, unlike the Child Care Subsidy program, but they must meet income and other eligibility requirements. For POD, there is an initial application period established and published each year with the possibility of additional application periods dependent on the availability of funding.

The Preschool Open Doors (POD) program is a separate subsidy program with funds that provides services state-wide to families sending their children to a licensed preschool... Learn More