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Child Care Subsidy Policy October 1, 2024 115 12.2.4. The center may not charge the parent a fee for the hours considered to be Early Head Start hours. However, fees will continue to be deducted from the center’s check. This may result in a difference in payment if the child is not in the program before and after school for at least four hours but will not outweigh the financial benefits to the center. 12.2.5. The family must use the center to maximum extent possible. Second providers shall not be approved if the child care center is available to provide care. To facilitate child care participation in Early Head Start, families may use child care for all regular Early Head Start hours. For example, Early Head Start hours may be 9-3 Monday through Wednesday, but the parents may not need to use child care on Tuesday. The center may still bill for Early Head Start hours used on Tuesday on the monthly payment form. 12.3. West Virginia Pre-k Program To facilitate child care’s participation in the WV Pre-k program and assist families and children, licensed child care centers that are participating in the WV Pre-k program or contracting with Head Start may continue receiving child care payments during the hours considered as WV Pre- k, if certain conditions are met. Those conditions are as follows: 12.3.1. The child care center must be licensed and offer full-day care of at least 10 hours per day. 12.3.2. Payment may only be made for children eligible for child care subsidies. 12.3.3. Payments from the public-school system are designed to cover additional services. Additional services include but are not limited to certified teachers, curricula materials, payment for absent days or hours not covered by child care, and additional equipment to meet WV Pre-k requirements. These are considered enhancements to the program, not payment for the basic cost of care for that child. 12.3.4. The center may not charge the parent a fee for the hours considered to be WV Pre- k hours. However, fees will continue to be deducted from the center’s check. This may result in a difference in payment if the child is not in the program before and after school for at least four hours but will not outweigh the financial benefits to the center. 12.3.5. The family must use the center to maximum extent possible. Second providers shall not be approved if the child care center is available to provide care. To facilitate child care participation in the WV Pre-k, families may use child care for all regular Pre-k hours. For example, Pre-k hours may be 9-3 Monday through Wednesday, but the parents may not need to use child care on Tuesday. The center may still bill for the Pre-k hours used on Tuesday on the monthly payment form. 12.4. Grants. Grants may be available, depending on the availability of federal and state funds, to assist family child care providers with start-up costs, meeting regulatory requirements, and/or improving the quality of care. Priority for grants should first go to providers participating in the subsidy system.