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DE Child Care Subsidy - Eligibility

The Division of Social Services (DSS) provides child care services to eligible families with a child or children who reside in the home and who are under the age of 13, or children 13 to 18, who are physically or mentally incapable of caring for themselves or active with the Division of Family Services.

Generally, a family needs service when parent/caretakers are required to be out of the home, or are reasonably unavailable (may be in the home but cannot provide supervision, such as a parent works a third shift, is in the home, but needs to rest), and no one else is available to provide supervision.

NOTE: See Child Care Subsidy - Need for details about the criteria DSS uses to decide if there is a real need for child care.

Categories of Child Care Subsidies

A family's specific circumstances determine the category of Child Care Subsidy under which the family receives assistance. Each category has its own rules for determining:

·      If DSS guarantees child care; and

·      If DSS considers income in the eligibility decision; and

·      If the parent must pay a child care fee.

The categories are:

·      TANF Parent/Caretaker

·      Parent /Caretaker participating in Food Stamps Employment and Training

·      Income Eligible Child Care

TANF Parent/Caretaker

DSS guarantees child care for a dependent child, or a child who would be dependent except for the receipt of benefits under Supplemental Security Income (SSI), when the parent/caretaker receives Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits and it is necessary for the parent/caretaker to:

·      Accept employment or remain employed; or

·      Participate in TANF Employment and Training.

Financial Eligibility: There are no additional financial eligibility criteria for a TANF family.

Child Care Fees: There is no requirement for those receiving a Child Care Subsidy as a TANF family to pay a child care fee.

Sanctions: Families that are sanctioned for non-cooperation with TANF requirements are not eligible for Child Care Subsidies under any category until the sanction has been cured.

NOTE: A sanction is considered cured when the sanctioned individual either becomes exempt from the requirements or demonstrates that he/she is cooperating with the requirements. (See TANF Training and Employment Overview for information about exemptions.)

Parent/Caretaker on Food Stamps

DSS guarantees child care for families that receive Food Stamps if child care is needed because caretakers participate in Food Stamps Employment and Training (FSE&T).

Financial Eligibility: There are no additional financial eligibility criteria for FSE&T participants.

Child Care Fees: Those receiving a Child Care Subsidy as a FSE&T family may have to pay a child care fee.

Sanctions: Families that are sanctioned because they are not meeting mandatory FSE&T requirements are not eligible for Child Care Subsidies under any category while the sanction is in effect.

Income-Eligible Child Care

DSS provides child care to families who are financially eligible to receive care because the family's countable income is equal to or less than Child Care Income Limit for their family size) and they have one or more of the following needs for care:

·      A parent/caretaker needs child care in order to accept employment or remain employed and would be at risk of becoming eligible for TANF if child care were not provided; or

·      A parent/caretaker needs child care in order to attend a job training program, or participate in an educational program,

·      The family includes a child or children who are receiving or need to receive protective services; or

NOTE: DSS will waive the Child Care Income limitation for families when the child is receiving or needs to receive protective services. DSS also waives the Fee requirement.

·      A parent/caretaker searches one month for employment after losing a job (Child care services cease if employment does not begin again after this time); or

·      The family includes a child or parent/caretaker or other adult household member who has special needs (verified by a physician or other professional with the competence to do so); or

NOTE: DSS will waive the Fee requirement for families whose need for child care is based on the special needs of a child or adult.

There is no child care guarantee with the funding sources which make up the income eligible category as there is with TANF and FSE&T. Funding is limited by the amount of DSS' grant award. This means that DSS cannot serve all the income eligible parent/caretakers who have a legitimate child care need.

Child Care Fees: Families receiving Income-Eligible Child Care have to pay a child care fee unless it is waived.

NOTE: Resources (such as cars, homes, savings accounts, life insurance, etc.) are not considered when determining financial eligibility or the fee.

See Also:

DE Child Care Subsidy - Homelessness

DE Child Care Subsidy - Need

DE Child Care Subsidy - Countable Income

DE Child Care Subsidy - Family Size

DE Child Care Subsidy - Change Reporting Requirements

DE Child Care Subsidy - Provider Payment Rates

DE Child Care Subsidy - Fees

DE Child Care Subsidy - Income Limits

Source:

DSS Policy Manual (Sect. 11003)

Back to:

DE Child Care Subsidy - Overview

DE TANF Employment and Training Overview

DE TANF Overview

DE General Assistance Overview

DE Division of Social Services - Overview

DE Benefit Information System Overview

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