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Child Care Scholarship Policy Manual 96

Special Needs child care is authorized only for the child who has special needs. Siblings of children approved for Special Needs child care will be approved only if CCDF funding is available and the child care services will be dual funded and services aligned for all children.

2.17 HOMELESS CHILD CARE Child care assistance may be available for families experiencing homelessness. Child care slots are provided in coordination with the State Department of Education Homeless liaison and the four homeless coalition continuum of care organizations throughout the state: • Eastern Carolina Homeless Organization • Low Country Homeless Coalition • Midlands Area Consortium for the Homeless • United Housing Connections According to the McKinney-Vento definition of homelessness, a family will be considered homeless when they lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. The lack of a fixed nighttime residence includes loss of housing, economic hardship, living in motels, hotels, trailer parks or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative accommodations or are living in emergency or transitional shelters. Furthermore, living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations or similar settings. To qualify for funding for the homeless child care scholarship, a family must: • Meet the McKinney-Vento definition of homeless (above) • Must provide verification of homelessness via a letter on Coalition (if not school aged) or Department of Education letterhead (if the child in care is a school aged child) indicating that the family has been determined to meet the definition of homelessness as defined by the McKinney-Vento Act. Note: For direct referrals, an in office third party verification is done to document that a family meets the McKinney-Vento definition of homelessness. This verification cannot be done by the staff person that is also determining eligibility. • Must be at or below 85% of the state median income at the time of application.