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1111 Chapter 7:Worker guides • Section 4: Child Care worker guides (07/2026) school age children compare the work schedule to the school schedule. Explain ERDC requirements for school age children: no billing during school hours (unless the child is sick); cannot bill for home schooled children during school hours.
Understanding the need is important for accurate eligibility – compare copay to cost of care.
Explain proper use of child care subsidy, provider can bill in advance for hours the child is anticipated to be in care. Parents and caretakers can use the time a child is in care to travel to and from work or school, for meal breaks and to complete family well being activities. This could be going to a medical appointment, grocery shopping, activities to better their mental health. Part-time or full-time hours are approved in order to allow families the flexibility to complete activities they need to move forward. If the family has no set schedule, the provider will need to bill for actual hours after the month is complete.
Offer information about high needs care if parent expresses difficulty finding care, keeping child care, their child has experienced suspension or expulsion from child care or they have a child with special needs. • Eligibility decisions are accurate and explained to the caretaker. • Make sure case notes and ONE eligibility determinations are completed in a timely manner. Delays in processing directly impact provider payment, potentially putting the family at risk of losing child care. The goal is to have the billing form issued before the care is provided whenever possible. • Reporting requirements are explained – including requirement to report provider changes. • Assess family’s child care arrangements and help them plan for unexpected changes. • Ask for their provider information (name, address and phone number) – including back up care providers and percentage of care for each provider. Encourage back up care arrangements if not yet established; • Determine if provider is currently in approved listing status – provider screen guides are available and DPU can also help explain how to use the provider screens;
If the provider is in approved listing status: » Give a completed 7494E and instruct the customer to give it to their provider. This verifies the family’s eligibility for the provider; » Send an electronic connection request to your DPU representative. Be sure to include the copay amount, the authorized hours for the initial and ongoing months. Use the DPU template when sending the connection request; » If the case is pended, narrate the provider information and take the above actions as soon as eligibility is cleared.
If the provider is not in approved listing status (or in-home, “I” status, for another family): » Give a Child Care Provider Listing Form (7494) with the ODHS Branch Use Only section completed; » A pre-listing Child Care Provider Information Sheet (7494D) is given if eligibility has not been determined (case is pended); » Explain the payment effective date. The ERDC program cannot pay for any care provided before the listing approval date if they are using a non-licensed provider – this means the provider must complete the Child Care Provider Listing Form (and any required pre-service training), submit the