5.8 Exemptions for Relative Providers

Lead Agencies may exempt relatives (defined in CCDF regulations as grandparents, great- grandparents, siblings if living in a separate residence, aunts, and uncles) from certain health and safety requirements. This exception applies only if the individual cares only for relative children. 5.8.1 Exemptions for relative providers Does the Lead Agency exempt any federally defined relative providers from licensing requirements, the CCDF health and safety standards, preservice/orientation training, ongoing training, inspections, or background checks? [ ] No. [x] Yes. If yes, which type of relatives do you exempt, and from what requirements (licensing requirements, CCDF health and safety standards, preservice/orientation training, ongoing training, inspections, and/or background checks) do you exempt them? Relative CCCAP Qualified Exempt providers are exempt from CCDF health and safety standards and pre-service/orientation and ongoing training requirements. They may be approved to provide care for relative children only. Effective September 15, 2024, pursuant to 45 CFR 98.41(a)(1)(i)(B)(1), CCCAP rule that a CCCAP relative Qualified Exempt provider must meet the requirements below: ￿Relative in-home care￿ means care provided by a relative in the child’s own home by a person who is eighteen (18) years of age or older and is related to the child through marriage, blood, court decree, or adoption and is a grandparent; great-grandparent; sibling (if living in a separate residence than the eligible child); aunt; and/or uncle, and does not meet the definition of ￿adult caretaker￿ or ￿teen parent￿. ￿Relative out-of-home care￿ means care provided by a relative in another location by a person who is eighteen (18) years of age or older and is related to the child through marriage, blood, court decree, or adoption and is a grandparent; great-grandparent; sibling (if living in a separate residence than the eligible child); aunt; and/or uncle, and does not meet the definition of ￿adult caretaker￿ or ￿teen parent￿. 6 Support for a Skilled, Qualified, and Compensated Child Care Workforce A skilled child care workforce with adequate wages and benefits underpins a stable high-quality child care system that is accessible and reliable for working parents and that meets their needs and promotes equal access. Positive interactions between children and caregivers provide the cornerstone of quality child care experiences. Responsive caregiving and rich interactions support healthy socio-emotional, cognitive, and physical development in children. Strategies that successfully support the child care workforce address key challenges, including low wages, poor benefits, and difficult job conditions. Lead Agencies can help mitigate some of these challenges through various CCDF policies, including through ongoing professional development and supports for all provider types and embedded in the payment policies and practices covered in Section 4. Lead Agencies must have a framework for training, professional development, and post-secondary education. They must also incorporate health and safety training into their professional development. Lead Agencies should also implement policies that focus on improving wages and access to benefits for the child care workforce. When implemented as a cohesive approach, the initiatives support the recruitment and retention of a qualified and effective child care workforce, and improve opportunities for caregivers, teachers, and directors to advance on their progression of training, professional development, and postsecondary education. This section addresses Lead Agency efforts to support the child care workforce, the components and implementation of the professional development framework, and early learning and developmental guidelines.