Local service guide
Childcare in Bakersfield: Choosing and Arranging Care
To arrange Childcare in Bakersfield, define your child’s age, care hours and pickup requirements, then request a licensed-provider list from Community Connection for Child Care. Check licensing records, visit your shortlist and get written fees and policies before committing. If you need help paying, review Kern County’s assistance application before choosing a provider. [1] [2] [4]
Build a shortlist around your actual care hours
Write down the earliest drop-off, latest pickup, days needed and intended start date. Include travel time between care and work, and identify who can collect your child if you run late. For school-age care, specify the school, dismissal time and whether you need transportation or coverage during school breaks.
Community Connection for Child Care offers a web-based referral list of licensed family child care providers and centers near a location you select. You can request telephone help at (661) 861-5200 or (877) 861-5200. The agency selects matching providers at random from its database and says it does not recommend, supervise or evaluate them. [1]
Use that list to make targeted calls. Ask whether the provider has an opening for your child’s age and your exact schedule. Request the facility number, enrollment steps and a written fee schedule. Keep a second option under consideration until you have confirmed the start date and agreed to the terms.
Screen licensed care before reserving a place
CDSS provides licensing information and complaint investigation reports through its facility search. The department says the website contains five years of facility information; a regional office can provide more information, including details about citations. Use the regional-office number shown with the facility record when you need clarification. [4]
Ask the provider to show you its current licensing information. CDSS says facilities must provide that information and advises families to visit in person rather than rely on the online record alone. If a provider refuses to share licensing information, contact CDSS. [4]
During the visit, ask how caregivers handle authorized pickups, illness, allergies, medication and emergencies. For infants, discuss sleep arrangements and feeding instructions. Ask who covers staff absences and how the provider tells parents about incidents. Request proof of insurance if coverage matters to your choice. [1]
Compare the written cost and coverage
The supplied local sources do not publish childcare fees, so this guide does not give a Bakersfield price range. Obtain quotes for the same child, days and hours. Ask each provider to separate tuition from registration charges, deposits, meals, transportation and late-pickup fees. [1] [2] [3]
Read the absence, holiday, closure and withdrawal policies before paying a deposit. Ask whether you pay for days your child misses, how much notice you must give to leave and whether the provider returns any deposit. For an individual caregiver, put the agreed duties, schedule, pay and cancellation terms in writing.
Compare each schedule against the entire period you need care. Ming Avenue’s published full-day preschool lasts 10 hours, while its part-day program lasts 3 hours and offers morning and afternoon sessions. The center describes services for children ages 2 to 5 and expects parent participation on 2 days each month. Confirm the clock times and participation arrangements with the center. [3]
Check payment assistance before finalizing care
Community Connection for Child Care administers a California Alternative Payment Program application route for low-income eligible families in Kern County. Its page lists children age 12 and younger as eligible for services. Qualifying circumstances include work, job search, job training, school, homelessness or incapacity with the specified professional verification. [2]
Under this program, parents may choose a licensed center, licensed family child care provider or license-exempt caregiver such as a family member, friend or neighbor. License-exempt providers must meet program requirements before approval. Ask the program to confirm your eligibility, the caregiver’s approval and the covered arrangement before relying on assistance in your budget. [2]
The agency provides an online application, a downloadable application and applications at its offices. If you have submitted an application, call (661) 861-5351 to update it or check eligibility. If you receive cash aid, tell your Department of Human Services social service worker that you need child care so the worker can refer you. [2]
Published preschool session lengths at Ming Avenue
Local details that affect your job
Local referral help near home or work
Community Connection for Child Care lists its main office at 2000 K Street, Suite 110, Bakersfield, CA 93301. Its referral service lets you search around a chosen location or speak with a counselor at (661) 861-5200. Use your work location as a second search point if pickup logistics limit your options. [1]
A preschool option with distinct schedule requirements
Ming Avenue Child Development Center is at 1100 Ming Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93304, with telephone (661) 835-7284. The center describes its full-day preschool for parents working, training or attending classes, and part-day preschool for parents without a full-time need. Discuss eligibility, openings and the monthly parent participation expectation before planning your work schedule around enrollment. [3]
A separate assistance route after cash aid
If you no longer receive cash aid but received it for yourself within the past two years, the local payment-assistance page directs you to (661) 631-6864 and (661) 631-6381 to determine eligibility. Explain that history when asking about assistance so staff can assess the applicable route. [2]
Choose the next step for your care need
| Your situation | Route to consider | Confirm before committing |
|---|---|---|
| You need a licensed provider near home or work | Community Connection for Child Care referral list | Age-specific opening, hours, licensing record and written fees |
| Your child is 2 to 5 and you need full-day preschool | Ming Avenue’s published 10-hour program | Eligibility, clock times, openings and parent participation |
| Your child is 2 to 5 and you need a short preschool session | Ming Avenue’s published 3-hour morning or afternoon program | Session time and care arrangements outside the session |
| You need help paying for care | Kern County CAPP application | Family eligibility, provider approval and assistance terms |
| You want a family member, friend or neighbor under CAPP | License-exempt provider approval process | Program requirements before relying on payment assistance |
Your hiring checklist
- Record your child’s age, start date, required hours and pickup contacts.
- Confirm an opening for the exact schedule before arranging a visit.
- Obtain the facility number and review current licensing information.
- Visit the care setting and discuss your child’s routines and support needs.
- Get written tuition, extra fees, closure dates and withdrawal terms.
- Confirm assistance eligibility and caregiver approval before budgeting around support.
- Agree on a backup plan for illness, closures and missed pickups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a local referral mean the agency recommends the provider?
No. Community Connection for Child Care says it does not recommend, supervise or evaluate the providers on its referral lists. Treat a referral as a lead, then review licensing information, visit and confirm the arrangement yourself. [1] [4]
Can I see complaints about a licensed provider?
CDSS makes complaint investigation reports available through its facility search. Its online information covers five years. Contact the regional office listed with the facility for additional records or details about citations, and ask the provider for current licensing information. [4]
Can payment assistance cover care by a friend or relative?
Kern County’s CAPP page permits parental choice of a license-exempt provider, including family, friends or neighbors. That caregiver must meet program requirements before approval. Submit an application and confirm both your eligibility and the proposed caregiver’s approval. [2]
Does Ming Avenue offer infant care?
The center’s page describes services for children ages 2 to 5; it does not establish an infant-care option. For a younger child, request age-specific referrals from Community Connection for Child Care and confirm the provider’s accepted ages. [1] [3]
Sources and scope
This guide combines the sources below with practical planning guidance. Figures apply to the stated geography and period; request a written quote for your property.