The Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) released a new online portal that will provide essential workers access to childcare during the shelter-in-place order.

The portal—which the SCCOE rolled out in partnership with Santa Clara County, city leaders, community organizations and agencies—is designed to provide childcare for essential workers, as defined by the Santa Clara County Department of Public Health, and organizations that provide daycare services.

SCCOE Superintendent Dr. Mary Ann Dewan said in a press release that her office is aware the demand has increased since shelter-in-place was initially ordered. Dewan said she wants to meet the need with the most relevant and useful content they have on hand.

“These resources listed on the portal are made available through the efforts of the community, city and county organizations within Santa Clara [County] and through partnerships with these entities essential workers are provided with several childcare options,” she explained in a statement to reporters.

The services on the portal include content that helps people access the most up-to-date information about available resources. The new portal also has new features such as Spanish language translations, a map of childcare locations and alternative payment voucher information for essential workers.

Other features include information on subsidized funding for providers and essential workers, four of the Early Head Start sites and the Campbell Unified School District Employee Childcare. Alternative payment provider resources such as Choices for Children and an increased number of providers are also available.

All childcare centers for essential workers in Santa Clara County must follow physical distancing, sanitation and hygiene practices specified by local and national agencies.

According to SCCOE, childcare for essential workers is still a much needed resource for communities throughout Santa Clara County, “and school districts and local community organizations have unified efforts to support essential workers with these services.”

Information including early learning services, news updates from the County of Santa Clara Department of Public Health and community resource directories can also be found on the portal, which you can access by clicking here.