UC Davis Health - Sacramento Child Care Resources

Child Care Options:
Health Campus/Sacramento

Licensed Child Care Located in the Community

There are a variety of child care settings from which to choose, depending upon your needs. You are best qualified to judge which setting will be most appropriate for your family. These include child care centers, family child care homes, nursery schools, cooperatives, playgroups and recreation programs licensed by the state to serve infants through school-age children.

  • Child Action Child Care referral system Lists of all licensed local childcare (Family Child Care Homes and Child Development Centers) in the Sacramento area. Children with special needs referrals as well. Three quick ways to get assistance:
    • Call their office at (916) 369-0191 to speak with a Child Care Specialist during our normal business hours. Child Action, Inc. has specialists available who speak English, Spanish, and Russian fluently who are able to provide you with a listing of providers as well as useful information to consider while selecting care. (takes less than 1 minute to speak to a local specialist).
    • Email their office at info@childaction.org. To best meet your needs please enter “Child Care Referrals” in the subject line and let them know your address and/or zip code, age of child(ren), and hours care is needed. You will receive a referral list via your email within a day.
    • Access the online referral services by clicking on the "Find Child Care".
    • This is the main resource designated by state licensing for finding openings at licensed small family home centers and large Child Development Centers. 
  • Community Subsidized/Sliding Scale Preschools
  • Bright Path to Learning UC Davis Health Employer Sponsored Child Development Center
  • Elementary School Located CDC's: Privately owned and operated for school-age children are available at many area elementary schools. Catalyst Kids offers on-site care before and after school hours, on holidays and during summer. Most elementary school-based Child Development Centers are open during COVID.  Catalyst Kids

Child Care within Your Home


This is care provided by babysitters, nannies and au pairs, who are considered domestic employees exempt from licensing. Background checks for criminal convictions and child abuse are available through Trustline Registry.

Local Online Resources:

Sacramento Area School Districts 

Reading Resources: