4.1 Access to Full Range of Provider Options

Lead Agencies must provide parents a choice of providers and offer assistance with child care services through a child care certificate (or voucher) or with a child care provider that has a grant or contract for the provision of child care services. Lead Agencies are reminded that policies and procedures should not restrict parental access to any type or category of care or provider (e.g., center care, home care, in-home care, for-profit provider, non-profit provider, or faith-based provider, etc.). 4.1.1 Parent choice a. Identify any barriers to provider participation, including barriers related to payment rates and practices, (including for family child care and in-home providers), based on provider feedback, public comment, and reports to the Lead Agency: Some potential barriers that could affect provider participation are providers not understanding all of the benefits of enrolling into CCAP; providers not understanding licensed child care employees qualify as a protected population; providers not understanding the process of enrollment between the Department of Family Support, the families, and their program. Another barrier would be that the providers do not agree with the difference between the State Max Rate compared to the private child care rate. Cost model research done by CCA indicates that there are systemic gaps between the cost of providing care to children and the revenue received from both market rates and CCAP subsidies. Tables 6 and 7 in this report indicate that for both small and large centers, the cost differential between average maximum CCAP reimbursement rate and the cost to providers is negative for all age groups except for school age children. This is also true for the cost differential between Market Rates and cost to providers. https://www.childcareawareky.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Cost-of-Care-in- Kentucky-Part-2-Cost-Model-2024.pdf The Division of Child Care recognizes the importance of the inclusion of out-of-school time (OST) programs in licensing requirements, the professional development framework and QRIS (Kentucky All STARS). DCC will continue partnership with KYOSA and other OST entities to examine other states and national level standards in addressing the needs specific to school-age and out-of-school time programs. b. Does the Lead Agency offer child care assistance through vouchers or certificates? [x] Yes. [ ] No. c. Does the Lead Agency offer child care assistance through grants or contracts? [ ] Yes. [x] No. d. Describe how the parent is informed that the child care certificate allows the option to choose from a variety of child care categories, such as private, not-for-profit, faith-based providers; centers; family child care homes; or in-home providers: DCC-120 Consumer Education Statement is provided at application. Families are made aware of child care options through the consumer education statement that is provided to every family approved for subsidy. The consumer education statement includes all the provider types in KY and where families can search for regulated care. https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dcbs/dcc/Documents/consumereducationstatement.p df e. Describe what information is included on the child care certificate: The Child Care Service Agreement Certificate includes demographic information for provider/family (name, address, phone, DOB of child, special needs, non-traditional hours of child) case/license number, care level and schedule, eligibility period, daily rate, copay rate, CHFS payment, and Conditions of Acceptance for recipient and provider.