You can get the child tax credit and/or additional child tax credit on any tax return for any year that you file if you have enough income and if you claim a child as a dependent under the age of 17. You may also qualify for earned income credit with only $1 of earned income. You cannot be claimed as a dependent by someone else and get these credits.
What source of income do you have if you are not working? Are you living with someone else who can claim you and your child as dependents?
I did receive a paycheck this year from my prior job. Right now I receive cash assistance through the state of Virginia. I claimed my daughter this year and I plan to do it next year.
@alexusfrazier You asked about the child tax credit. You will not receive the child tax credit unless you have at least $2500 of income earned from working. And even at that amount the refundable part will be very little. The child tax credit can be used to reduce tax you owe. The "refundable" part of the CTC is based on how much you earn over $2500. Anything you earn OVER $2500 can by multiplied by 15% for a refund. So let's say you earned $3500. 15% of the $1000 over $1500 would give you a refund of $150.
So....unless you actually work in 2020, you cannot count on getting much-- if anything -- from the child tax credit next year.