Child Care and Early Childhood Development

Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services
Child Care Subsidy Program

February 2003

Purpose: The primary goals of the Child Care Subsidy Program are to assist low-income families in obtaining and maintaining employment, to provide services for children at risk of abuse and/or neglect, and to increase availability, affordability and quality of early care and education services.

The Child Care Subsidy Program provides subsidized child care to a diverse set of families: TAF (Temporary Assistance for Families) recipients to help obtain and maintain employment; parents of children who are at risk of abuse and neglect, and out-of-home placement; low-income employed families below 150 percent of the Federal poverty level (example- a family of three can earn up to $22,536 per year) including certain employed families wishing to enhance current employment through education/training; Food Stamp recipients mandatory for Work Programs; employed parents of children with disabilities; and teen parents completing high school or GED.

Pooled Funding: The Child Care Subsidy Program uses State Funds, Child Care and Development Funds, Social Service Block Grant Funds, U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Stamp Employment and Training Funds, and TANF Transfer Funds.

For FY 2002 (7/1/01-6/30/02), total expenditure for child care subsidy was $50,815,601 with an average of 16,151 children served monthly.

Basic Eligibility

Any parent, guardian or caretaker of a child who has a personal need for child care services who resides in Kansas and is able to act on his or her own behalf may be determined eligible for child care for a child from birth through the month of the child's 13th birthday. They may also apply for child care for children age 13-18 if the child is physically or mentally incapable of caring for him or herself or if the child is under court supervision. An application must be completed and financial eligibility determined. They must also cooperate with Child Support Enforcement (if there is an absent parent), and the child must meet certain citizenship requirements.

Providers

Payments for child care services may be made to the parent's choice of a licensed child care center, licensed family child care home, licensed group child care home, registered child care home, a child's relative or a provider in the child's home. Payment may not be made to a provider who is in the same household or caring for his/her own child. Providers must enroll with SRS in order to receive payment.

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