Calculating a Child’s Allowable Child Care Hours 400-28-80-10-05

(Revised 5/1/2024 ML#3816)

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A child’s allowable child care hours are based on the child’s schedule and the caretaker’s allowable child care hours.

Children who do not attend any type of schooling during the day must have their allowable child care hours based on the time the child needs care as determined by the caretaker’s allowable child care hours.

Children that attend school (including any type of preschool or head start where the school hours are considered separate from the child care hours) must have their allowable child care hours based on the time before and after school in which they need care. If the hours a child attends child care before or after school is not known, part-time care can be approved for the school aged child. CCAP cannot be paid to fund any instruction or services associated with academic credit or a school’s program. This includes care provided to students enrolled in school during the regular school day and care while a child is participating in distance learning when the child has the option to attend school

Children that have the option to attend school, but choose distance learning will not have virtual hours included in their allowable child care hours. If the child is choosing distance learning due to a health condition, or a health condition of a household member, these hours can be included. The medical need of the child/household member must be verified.

Children that attend a hybrid version where they attend school in person and participate in distance learning can have their virtual hours included in their allowable child care hours, if the option for distance learning is not a choice, but mandated by the school.

All school age children receive an additional 9 hours of care per week (36 hours per month) to accommodate any days there is no school. If school age children only need care for days when there is no school, they can be eligible for the additional 9 hours, even if there are no days of need in the month the apply.

Example 1: A child attends elementary school Monday through Friday for 8 hours a day. The child needs child care 1 hour before school and 3 hours after school and does not need child care on the weekends. The child needs a total of 20 hours per week. The child is then allowed an additional 9 hours per week, for a total of 29 allowable hours per week. Example 2: A child is enrolled in a facility that provides both child care and preschool services. Child care is provided from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and again from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. the child is attending the preschool setting. The hours from 10 – 1 are not considered allowable child care hours. A total of 6 child care hours would be allowed per day. The child is then allowed an additional 9 hours per week, for a total of 39 allowable hours per week. Example 3: A child attends elementary school Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and distance learning Tuesday and Thursday. The child attends daycare Tuesdays and Thursdays. There is no option for the child to attend school in person every day, therefore these virtual hours are allowable. Example 4: A child attends elementary school through distance learning 5 days a week at daycare, however the school has given families a choice to attend in person or through distance learning. There is no medically verified reason for the child to attend virtually, therefore these hours are not allowable.

Note: It is the responsibility of the caretaker to report when additional child care hours are needed.