Frequently Asked Questions | ELQN

Why should I be a part of this early childhood program? What are the benefits for my child(ren)?

ELQN is a program that was created to make sure that all children 0-8 years old in Harris County have access to high-quality childcare and educational resources at their childcare center (home-based and/or center-based). By focusing our efforts in identified child care desert zip codes, ELQN strives to connect parents, providers, and informal caregivers with the resources they need to improve the quality of their child(ren)’s early learning environment.

If I am not a licensed or registered child care center (home or center-based), will I be able to go to trainings and events and benefit from the program?

Yes! Family members, neighbors, or friends who care for children at least ten hours a week within the zip codes that are under the ELQN program are eligible for benefits provided by ELQN initiatives. Under this criteria, you are considered an ‘informal caregiver’ or a FFN caregiver and can be involved in the program.

Are all 7 initiatives available to any zip code in Houston/Harris County? 

A: No. Each initiative is available only in specific zip codes and is limited to households at or below 85% of the State Median Income (SMI) with children ages 0–8. Eligibility also depends on whether the applicant is a parent/guardian, informal caregiver, or child care provider. Below is a breakdown of zip codes by initiative: 

Training & Professional Development 

• Parents/guardians: must live in an eligible zip code. 

• Informal caregivers: must live in or provide care within the eligible zip code. 

• Child Care Centers: must be located in one of these zip codes:
  77009, 77015, 77021, 77022, 77027, 77029, 77032, 77033, 77036, 77037, 77039, 77044, 77047, 77048, 77049, 77051, 77056, 77057, 77060, 77072, 77074, 77076, 77081, 77091, 77099, 77379, 77530 

Early Learning Kits & Materials 

• Households: must live in zip code 77379 with income at or below 85% SMI. 

• Informal caregivers: eligible if they live in or provide child care within 77379. 

Technology for Households 

• Children ages 4–8 must live in one of these zip codes:
  77021, 77033, 77047, 77051, 77048, 77009, 77022, 77032, 77037, 77039, 77060, 77076, 77091 

Emergency & Temporary Care 

• Child care organizations must be located in one of these zip codes:
  77009, 77015, 77022, 77027, 77029, 77032, 77036, 77037, 77039, 77044, 77049, 77056, 77057, 77060, 77072, 77074, 77076, 77081, 77091, 77099, 77379, 77530 

Technology for Child Care 

• Child care organizations must be located in one of these zip codes:
  77021, 77033, 77047, 77051, 77048, 77009, 77022, 77032, 77037, 77039, 77060, 77076, 77091 

Curriculum Development & Implementation Services 

• Regulated providers (centers, home-based, or relative care): must serve subsidized children in 77379. 

• Informal caregivers (family, friend, neighbor, or relative care): must live in or provide care in 77379 with income at or below 85% SMI. 

Facility, Safety & Security 

• Available in the following zip codes:
  77015, 77029, 77044, 77049, 77530, 77532, 77547, 77021, 77033, 77047, 77051, 77048, 77379, 77027, 77036, 77056, 77057, 77072, 77074, 77081, 77099, 77009, 77022, 77032, 77037, 77039, 77060, 77076, 77091 

 

The application for an initiative is asking me for personal information. How do you protect my data?

Any personal information shared with ELQN during the application process is made anonymous and combined with information from other applicants so that no one can tell who it came from. Our team takes every precaution to protect the privacy and information of the communities we work with. The type of personal information requested may vary depending on the initiative. If you have any questions or concerns about sharing your information, please contact the initiative vendors or your Local Network Organization to learn more about what data is collected and why.

Why aren’t ELQN initiatives open to all zip codes across Harris County? 

A: As a pilot program, ELQN was designed to focus on the communities most in need of targeted support. Focal communities participating in ELQN were selected because they were identified as Child Care Deserts, areas where the demand for quality early learning environments is greater than the available providers or centers, and are reported to have a high Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) of .75+.

Are families and community members allowed to receive incentives for attending events and/or meetings hosted by the organization in our area?

Yes. Depending on the meeting or event, families and community members may receive incentives to a certain amount that has been approved by the NSH and Harris County.

I live in one of the zip codes receiving services. How can I learn more about ELQN, or the initiatives available to me? 

A: Reach out! You can visit our homepage to find a calendar of upcoming events across the network, or see which Local Network Organization and Vendors are working within your neighborhood.

 

What is an informal caregiver? 

A: An informal caregiver is someone who regularly provides care for children ages 0–8 for at least 10 hours per week. This care is not through a licensed child care center or program, but instead takes place in settings such as the caregiver’s home, the child’s home, or another informal arrangement.

 

As a childcare provider in East Harris County, how would this program benefit me and my childcare center?

Child care providers (home-based and center-based) can benefit from the ELQN program because there are several initiatives and vendors that will implement improvements on how they run their centers.

-Training and Professional Development in partnership with the Rupani Foundation

-Emergency and Temporary Care program in partnership with Neighborhood Schools Inc. and WorkTexas!

-Facility, Safety, and Security initiative in partnership with Collaborative for Children

Does it cost money to participate in these initiatives? 

A: No! With a total of $16.4 million, fueled by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and supported by the Harris County Commissioners Court through 2026, this initiative has been established to lead quality improvement plans in under-resourced neighborhoods. For this reason, each iniative is cost-free to qualifying participants, and some even offer stipends upon completion.

 

I have other questions – who should I get in contact with? 

A: Please email us at elqninfo@childrenatrisk.org and a member of our team will be happy to assist you. 

 

Do I have to travel to participate in any of these initiatives? 

A: It is dependent on the initiative whether you will need to travel for training or materials pick up, but travel will not be expected out of Harris County for any of the initiatives.

 

How do I apply for an ELQN initiative or program? 

A: To apply, visit our ELQN webpage and go to the section titled “Taking Action on Community Needs.” From there, select the initiative you are interested in. Each initiative page provides the specific steps to apply. You can view all available initiatives by scrolling to the right.