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DE Child Care Subsidy - Fees

Families who receive Child Care Subsidies must pay a portion of the cost of the child care as a Child Care Fee unless their fees are waived.

Computing Fees

The fees are usually a percentage of the Delaware Provider Payment Rate. (In the unlikely event that the provider charges less than the Provider Payment Rate, the fee would be a percentage of that lower amount.)

The fee percentage is based on the family's percentage of countable income in relation to the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) for the family size.

NOTE: Remember that the income of non-parent caretakers is not counted and that they are also not counted in determining family size.

Families with income between:

0% and 36% of FPL pay 1%

36% and 45% of FPL pay 5%

45% and 55% of FPL pay 7%

55% and 65% of FPL pay 8%

65% and75% of FPL pay 10%

75% and 85% of FPL pay 12%

85% and 95% of FPL pay 14%

95% and 100% of FPL pay 16%

100% and 105% of FPL pay 21%

105% and 115% of FPL pay 23%

115% and 120% of FPL pay 25%

120% and 125% of FPL pay 30%

125% and 135% of FPL pay 32%

135% and 145% of FPL pay 44%

145% and155% of FPL pay 46%

155% and 160% of FPL pay 48%

160% and 170% of FPL pay 50%

170% and 180% of FPL pay 60%

180% and 190% of FPL pay 70%

190% and 200% of FPL pay 80%

NOTE: In figuring the actual amount that the family ends up paying, the Child Care Fee must be added to the additional amount the family must pay to providers who charge more than the Provider Payment Rate. (The parent/caretaker first pays the provider the full amount and then the Division of Social Services (DSS) reimburses the parent/caretaker an amount equal to the Provider Payment Rate minus the fee.)

Waiving Fees:

All child care fees will be waived if the family meets one of the four conditions below:

1. For all families receiving Income-Eligible Child Care who are active with the Division of Family Services (DFS) including those with children needing protective services and foster care families.

2. For all families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or General Assistance (GA). This includes families in which the adult requesting the child care receives Income-Eligible Child Care and is not the child's natural or adoptive parent (for example, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.) but the child receives TANF or GA assistance.

3. When paying the fee would create an Excessive Financial Burden. Excessive Financial Burden is defined as situations in which the family's disposable income, after deductions listed below, would result in the family having income below 75% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Deductions are limited to:

·               rent, mortgage, lot rent;

·               any mandatory expense required by the landlord or mortgage holder (e.g., homeowners insurance, property taxes, school taxes);

·               actual utility expenses (e.g., electric, gas, water, sewer);

·               unreimbursed medical costs: Before considering these medical costs as deductions, families not already receiving Medicaid or on the Delaware Healthy Children Program (DHCP), must first apply for either Medicaid or the DHCP.

4. Families where the need for service is based on the special needs of the child or the caretaker.

5. Caretakers (who are not parents or members of the assistance unit) of a TANF or GA child.

6. Teenage parents, 18 years old or younger who are attending High School or a High School equivalence program.

See Also:

DE Child Care Subsidy - Eligibility

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 - Income Limits

Sources:

DSS Policy Manual (Sects. 11004.7-8); and Administration Notices: A-13-99 - Child Care Fees/ Waiving Fees For Caretakers of TANF or GA Children and A-06-2002 - Waiving Child Care Fee and Policy; and private communication with DSS policy expert.

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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