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Learn More Care 4 Kids CT Office of Early Childhood CCDF Plan Updates (2019-2021) Office of Child Care CCDF Fact Sheet

Analyst: Jessica Callahan Connecticut General Assembly 860-240-8400 | www.cga.ct.gov/olr

Care 4 Kids Eligibility Eligible Families In order to qualify to receive benefits under the Care 4 Kids program, families must meet the following criteria: • Reside in Connecticut • be employed or attending a Jobs First approved education or training activity, and meet income requirements

Income Requirements Families must meet the following income limits when applying or reapplying for the Care 4 Kids program: • less than 50% of the State Median Income (SMI) for initial applications received on or after October 1, 2020 • less than 65% of the SMI for reapplication after October 1, 2020

Eligible Providers To receive reimbursement from Care 4 Kids, providers must be • a close relative in the child’s home or in the close relative’s home; • an Office of Early Childhood licensed day care center, family day care home, or a group day care home; or • a public or private school-based child care program that passes a health and safety inspection by the OEC Licensing Program Reporting Changes to Maintain Eligibility Families must report income over 85% of the SMI, loss of employment or approved training activity, if a child receiving Care 4 Kids benefits is no longer in the home, or a change of phone number or address.

Care 4 Kids Payment Determination The Care 4 Kids program considers certain factors in determining the certificate amount issued to families. Care 4 Kids Provider Count The table below lists the number of Care 4 Kids providers in the state that provide care to children ages 0 to 12.

Care 4 Kids Provider Count (June 2020) Licensed and regulated centers 1,131 Licensed family homes 920 Unlicensed relative care 2,616 Source: Care 4 Kids

Care 4 Kids Program Enrollment The following table lists the number of children in the state receiving Care 4 Kids program services. (Counts for some towns are suppressed due to small size.)

Month Total Number of Children Receiving Services March 17,643 April 16,562 May 16,858 June 17,362 July 14,835 August 14,989 Source: Care 4 Kids Care 4 Kids considers the following program factors:  the provider’s location in the state  the type of provider  if the provider is accredited through a state or national accrediting agency recognized by the OEC commissioner Care 4 Kids considers the following family factors:  the parents’ work or training schedule  the child’s age  the hours of care a child needs  if the child has special needs  the family’s income Care 4 Kids may not cover all child care charges, and a family is responsible for the Family Fee (set by Care 4 Kids) and other charges not covered by the program.