Spending on child care has become a serious problem within American households with young children. Given the need for both parents to work, having a safe place to leave children is essential. In San Francisco, the local government launched a portal where you can find places where these services are offered for free or at low cost.

This Monday, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie presented the new website where families in the county will be able to find free or low-cost daycare and preschool. As indicated in the government statement, many families will be able to access these services thanks to the subsidies contemplated in the mayor's so-called Family Opportunities Agenda.

The new portal is called Early Learning for All (ELFA). There, parents will be able to find participating programs and find out if the financial aid available in those locations reduces the cost of child care, even to $0, depending on their eligibility. According to the government, more and more providers are joining the ELFA network.

"Through our Family Opportunity Agenda, we are lowering the cost of living so families can build their lives in San Francisco. More families can now access affordable child care, and our new portal will make this process easier," stated Lurie. “Making child care affordable relieves a huge burden on parents and strengthens the future of our entire city.”

The city's benefits come at a time when child care in San Francisco ranges from $1,700 to more than $3,900 a month, according to the Children's Council San Francisco. Likewise, the average monthly cost for daycares is between $2,500 and $3,500, while nannies cost between $4,000 and $6,000 or more.

Families with incomes up to 150% of the area median income can find free or low-cost child care through the ELFA program. For example, a family of four with annual income of up to approximately $230,000, who meets the income criteria, can access free care at more than 500 providers throughout the city.

“Expanding eligibility criteria for low-cost child care is an important step in making San Francisco more affordable for families, but this benefit only works if families can find, understand and use it,” said Ingrid Mezquita, executive director of the San Francisco Early Childhood Department.

Additionally, this summer, the city opened nearly 750 new early learning spaces in neighborhoods across the city, with special attention to spaces for infants and toddlers.

Additionally, parents will be able to verify their eligibility, submit an application and search for programs based on location, schedule, language, among other options.

“We carefully analyzed the parents' experience and designed a new portal that makes it easier for families to access child care,” Mezquita explained. “Now, families can begin the process in one place, check their eligibility, apply online, and connect with programs through a more coordinated process.”

The city plans to open seven additional centers in fiscal year 2026-27, bringing the licensed capacity to 274 children.

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