The Municipal Child Care Benefit Pilot Program is implemented by the San Diego Office of Child and Youth Success (OCYS). Payments will be made monthly to eligible and participating employees’ identified child care provider(s).

Benefit Information

• This child care benefit shall be disbursed directly to the employee's child care service provider and shall only be used for child care services.
• Payments will be made to providers for actual services provided, starting October 2024 through the end of July 2025.
• If the eligible benefit amount is greater than the cost of child care services, the provider shall only receive the amount due for the services rendered.
• If the child care fees are greater than the eligible benefit amount, the employee shall be responsible for covering any difference in the total cost of services.
• Child Care benefit payments to “family, friend, and neighbor” providers shall be limited to the current California Regional Market Rate ceilings for subsidized child care, under the section for Relative for San Diego County.

Information for Employees

The City has contracted with Tootris, a cloud-based child care benefits service provider that specializes in helping parents and providers connect and transact in real-time.

Eligible employees may use the child care provider of their choice by identifying their provider or searching and selecting a new one. These may include center-based child care, family child care homes, or “family, friend, and neighbor” child care, including infant/toddler care, preschool, or out-of-school time care (before and after-school and intersession).

• TOOTRiS may provide resources to find licensed child care providers. Other resources to find licensed child care providers include the San Diego County Centralized Eligibility list for subsidized child care assistance and YMCA Child Care Resource Service, San Diego County’s Child Care Resource and Referral agency.
• Parents/caregivers who select “family, friend, and neighbor” care are encouraged to check the provider’s background through Trustline.
• Eligible employees must use the TOOTRiS user account they established to submit the Year 2 Pilot Program Application in order to access benefit payments.
  • Any participating employee that cannot use the TOOTRiS platform for any reason should contact OCYS@sandiego.gov to discuss options.
• Once the employee has identified their child care provider(s) of choice, such provider(s) will need to enroll with TOOTRiS, as soon as possible, only if they do not have an existing profile in TOOTRiS.
  • Refer to the TOOTRiS parent/caregiver flyer.
  • Search for the provider(s) on TOOTRiS.
  • If you can’t find the provider, refer them at TOOTRiS.com/refer.
  • Share the licensed care provider flyer or the family, friend and neighbor flyer.
  • Contact TOOTRiS at 619-815-5702 or citysd@tootris.com with any questions or for support.
• TOOTRiS will issue the payment directly to the child care provider that the eligible employee identifies. Employees may use TOOTRiS to pay their portion of the child care fees, if applicable, beyond what is paid with the benefit amount.
• A virtual webinar from TOOTRiS was held on August 28, 2023 to provide information to employees about registering in TOOTRiS and using the platform to make payments to child care providers. You may view the slides or the webinar recording.

Information for Child Care Providers

• Child care providers will need to have an enrollment-ready profile in TOOTRiS to receive payments.
• There is no charge or fee to participate in this Pilot Program, and providers receive 100% of child care fees.
• Refer to the TOOTRiS licensed child care provider flyer | Spanish | Tagalog | Vietnamese or “family, friend and neighbor” caregiver flyer | Spanish | Tagalog | Vietnamese
• Child care providers without an existing profile in TOOTRiS will need to create one and verify that their profile status is “enrollment ready.”
• To create a new TOOTRiS provider profile, visit the sign-up page.
• Complete the profile to 100% to be able to accept payments.
• Contact TOOTRiS at 619-815-5702 or citysd@tootris.com with any questions or for support.
• Payments to “family, friend, and neighbor” providers will be limited to the current California Regional Market Rate ceilings for subsidized child care, under the section for Relative for San Diego County.

Definitions

• Child care benefit: The child care benefit is an employee benefit provided to help cover the cost of child care. The Municipal Child Care Benefit Pilot Program provides a need-based benefit for eligible City of San Diego employees, paid directly to child care providers.
• Child care service provider: Someone who provides supervision and care for children other than parents or caregivers.
• Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) Care: Care provided in the child’s or child care provider’s home by a person who is a relative, friend, neighbor or other license-exempt provider (biological parents are not able to be considered FFN providers).
• Licensed Child Care: A child care program that is licensed by the California Department of Social Services and meet requirements to ensure the health and safety of children in care. Licensed child care may include child care centers or family child care homes.

Documents & Resources

• TOOTRiS flyer for parents/caregivers | Spanish | Tagalog | Vietnamese
• TOOTRiS flyer for licensed child care providers | Spanish | Tagalog | Vietnamese
• TOOTRiS flyer for “family, friend, and neighbor” providers | Spanish | Tagalog | Vietnamese
• TOOTRiS Information Webinar