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Delaware TANF State Plan 10-1-23 to 09-30-26 Page 43 of 59

long as the child is expected to return home during that period of time or a good cause extension has been granted. Services under this program include: • Division of State Service Centers (DSSC) o CAPS Funds (includes Utility fund, Sunoco fund, energy assistance, kinship care, needy family fund) • DSCYF – Investigations provide support services to ensure the safety of children in various environments. ECAP – Early Childhood Intervention. Delaware’s Early Childhood Assistance Program (ECAP) is a state-funded pre-k for disadvantaged children in Delaware. It provides comprehensive child development programs for low- income families with children aged four and eligible for kindergarten the following year. The program is positioned in the Bureau of Maternal and Child Health section in the Division of Public Health (DPH) and provides support for statewide partners to build and integrate early childhood service systems that promote the health and well being of Delaware’s young children. Eligibility for ECAP is determined by individual child or family characteristics in addition to age. ECAP-funded children must meet the federal Head Start eligibility guidelines. Eligibility is determined based on age of child, family income, disability, housing status, parental status, and other individual/family factors. Ten percent of available slots must be provided for children with disabilities. Effective as of the Head Start Act of 2007, 35% of enrollment may be children whose family incomes are between 100% and 130% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) after priority is given to children at or below 100% FPL. ECAP State funding is provided for at least 3.5 hours per day, making all ECAP seats part day. However, ECAP programs can blend and braid other funding sources, including the use of state subsidy (Purchase of Care) dollars, to support the additional service hours needed to provide full day care. Some ECAPs align with school district schedules while others operate for at least nine months but do not necessarily follow school district calendars.

Cash Assistance for Single or Two Parent and Child Only Families

Delaware uses a combination of TANF and MOE funds to provide broad-based support for working families. Delaware was one of the first states to recognize that the special eligibility requirements that applied to two-parent families contributed to both the non-formation and the break-up of two-parent households. The six-quarter work history requirement was particularly responsible for non-marriage of teen parents, who had not yet worked enough to meet this qualification. The denial of benefits to two-parent families if one of the parents was working at least 100 hours a month also contributed to the low work rate of two-parent families that were receiving AFDC.