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: Provider feedback to BCDHSC on challenges and barriers to participation in the NH Child Care Scholarship Program include the following: 1) The length of time it takes to enroll, which requires completion of Health & Safety trainings, including First Aid and CPR; 2) Delays in receiving background check results and completing fingerprinting due to a NH State Police backlog; 3) The length of time it takes to establish direct deposit for the receipt of payments; and 4) The length of time it takes for children who are eligible for NH Child Care Scholarship Program to be linked to a child care program. Additionally, some license-exempt (LE) providers believe that the rates for LE facilities and LE Family, Friend and Neighbor are too low. 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: Parents are informed during the child care interview that they are allowed to choose any provider that is currently enrolled as a child care provider with the State of NH. e. Describe what information is included on the child care certificate: The provider the child is linked to, 12 months of eligibility dates, service level of each child, and the families weekly cost share amount.