Policy Effective: April 1, 2026

The purpose of the Child Care program is to give support to children when parents are working or participating in approved activities by providing a stable environment and continuity of care.

Eligible parents include parents participating in the Family Employment Program (FEP Child Care), Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), and parents in the general public who qualify for Employment Support Child Care (ESCC).

Assistance for all Child Care programs may be provided to children through the end of the review period after their 13th birthday when:

The child is 12 years old at the time of certification

The parent continues to have a child care need for that child

The child continues to attend child care

And all other eligibility factors are met

Child Care may also be provided for children aged 13 to 18 when a child is under court supervision or has been determined by a physician or a licensed or certified psychologist to be physically or mentally incapable of caring for themselves, and all other conditions of eligibility are met. See policy 210-7A for information on Child Care for children with special needs.

Employment Support is available to families diverted from Financial assistance if otherwise eligible.

Requirements for Family Employment Program (FEP) and RCA applicants and recipients to receive Child Care supportive services follow Department of Workforce Services Financial Assistance policy. This type of Child Care is offered only to support approved activities in individual employment plans.

The Child Care program pays the child care provider directly for a parent's child care need. Payments are issued monthly for each child in care based on a parent's eligibility for services in that month. The subsidy is based on the lower of the monthly local market rate, the parent's participation cost and the provider charge. The subsidy may not cover the entire cost of care and cannot exceed the monthly local market rate for the age of the child and selected provider.

Child Care assistance is provided to support parents in approved employment and training activities that meet the eligibility requirements. Children cannot qualify individually.

Child care is provided only for children living in the home and only during hours when neither parent is available to provide care for the children. To be eligible for payment, the child must have a need for at least eight hours of child care per month as determined by the Department.

a. All children listed in the household at the time of application or review are considered part of the household filing unit at the time of approval for the 365-day certification period. The children may be included in the benefits or excluded if no need is reported.

b. All children in the initial decision can be added to benefits during the certification period when there is a need without a new application. See policy 735-4 when adding additional household members.

All child care options available to the parent must be explored before approving subsidized Child Care. If alternative options are available, the parent does not have a need for Child Care assistance. If a parent does not feel that an available setting is safe or that quality child care would be provided, Child Care assistance will be considered. Alternative options may include, but are not limited to:

A relative willing to provide care at no cost.

Care provided by a parent who resides in the household.

Care provided by a parent not residing in the household.

Care provided for in-kind services.

Care provided by an employer at no cost.

A disqualified provider cannot receive Child Care subsidy assistance as a recipient and a disqualified recipient cannot receive Child Care services as a provider.

Prior to denying a Child Care application, a review of eligibility for all Child Care programs (e.g., ESCC, WIOA / Non-FEP, FEP-CC, Homeless Child Care, etc.) must be completed.