December 9, 2020 2020-R-0274

Care 4 Kids Program The Care 4 Kids program is a state and federally funded subsidy program that has been providing child care assistance to low to moderate income families in Connecticut for more than 40 years. Participating families receive a Care 4 Kids certificate to cover certain child care costs, which is funded by a federal and state partnership program. The program requires families to meet certain eligibility requirements to receive subsidies, and subsidies are generally available until children reach age 13. Providers receiving reimbursement from Care 4 Kids must complete a one-time orientation and meet annual training requirements specific to the provider type. Trainings must focus on improving children’s health development, safety, and school readiness in child care settings for children from birth through age 12. (This report does not address program changes made by the administrating agency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.)

How is Care 4 Kids Funded? The primary funding source for the Care 4 Kids program is the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) federal block grant administered by the federal Office of Child Care. The CCDF is a federal and state partnership program authorized under the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act and is administered by states to provide financial assistance to low-income families for child care so the parents or guardians can work, attend job training, or attend school. In Connecticut, the Care 4 Kids program is administered by the state Office of Early Childhood.

Care 4 Kids Estimated Care 4 Kids Subsidies The table below shows the estimated amount that Connecticut has spent on child care subsidies under the program for the past six fiscal years.

Fiscal Year $ Millions FY 15 109.3 FY 16 115.4 FY 17 115.9 FY 18 76.0 FY 19 89.0 FY 20 60.9 Source: Office of Fiscal Analysis, CORE-CT

www.cga.ct.gov/olr OLRequest@cga.ct.gov Connecticut General Assembly Office of Legislative Research Stephanie A. D’Ambrose, Director (860) 240-8400 Room 5300 Legislative Office Building

Points of Entry for Early Childhood Care and Education in Connecticut

By: Jessica Callahan, Associate Analyst November 1, 2023 | 2023-R-0249

Issue Describe state programs available to assist families with child care and related costs and the eligibility requirements for these programs.

Summary The Office of Early Childhood (OEC) funds early child care and education programs across the state through grants and contracts. These programs include child day care contracts, Head Start programs, and the school readiness program. Local providers are responsible for family enrollment and ensuring that families meet program eligibility requirements. Generally, programs require families to meet federal low-income guidelines, but providers may also use the OEC fee schedule or the Care 4 Kids program’s eligibility requirements. The OEC fee schedule is based on state median income (SMI) levels annually published in the Federal Register.

Child Day Care Contracts OEC contracts with child day care programs to allow them to serve lower income families. The contracts provide state financial assistance (i.e., grants) to municipalities, human resource development agencies, nonprofit corporations, and group or family child care homes for developing and operating child care homes or centers for disadvantaged children. Contracts entered into on or after July 1, 2022, must include a provision requiring at least 60% of the enrolled children to be from families with incomes at or below 75% of the SMI.