Infant and Toddler Quality Child Care

Program Overview

The 2009 Iowa Legislature allocated American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funds to Community Empowerment Areas to implement an Infant and Toddler Quality Child Care Program. The program includes age requirements the child must meet, family income requirements, parent eligibility requirements and child care provider eligibility requirements. Building Families has funding to support three children residing in Hamilton, Humboldt or Wright Counties for 12 months (parents must re-apply every six months) or for six children for six months. Parents will be expected to pay a co-payment such as in the DHS child care assistance program.

Community Empowerment Boards assume all fiscal and program implementation liability, must follow federal reporting requirements, and comply with the fairness and transparency rules associated with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds. In addition to federal quarterly reporting requirements, there are state 6-month and end of program period reporting requirements. Also, CEAs must report fiscal and performance measures data in the CEA’s annual report.

Eligibility Requirements

There are three categories of eligibility criteria: child eligibility; parent/family eligibility; and child care provider eligibility.  An application process determines eligibility; an application is provided in this correspondence.

Child Eligibility

To be eligible for the Infant and Toddler Quality Child Care Program the child must be:

·         Under the age of 2 (up to 24 months of age)

·         A United States citizen

·         Living with his/her parents or individuals acting in loco parentis

The application DHS is providing for program implementation gathers data on the child’s date of birth, country of birth and U.S. citizenship.  Building Families is also requiring additional documentation, a copy of the child’s birth certificate, to determine citizenship.

Parent(s) Eligibility

There are two components of parent(s) eligibility.  The first is the parental need for child care.  The second component is the family’s gross household income. 

Parental Need for Child Care

The parent(s) must meet one of the following criteria:

·         Working (defined as a minimum of 28 hours per week)

·         Participating in education/training full-time (based on what the school defines as full time)

·         Participating in a combination of work and education/training (minimum of 28 hours per week)

·         Recently unemployed and seeking work (defined as losing his/her job in the last six (6) months)

The Infant and Toddler Quality Child Care Program provides funding for child care during times when the parent is working (including travel time to and from work), in class (including travel time to and from class), or a combination of work and class activities (including travel time). Priority will be given to parents who are working and need child care assistance, however the DHS guidelines also allows providing child care for times when parents are “actively” completing job search activities.

Working

The parent must work 28 hours or more each week or an average of 28 hours or more per week during the month to be eligible for the Infant and Toddler Quality Child Care Program.  The parent meets the need for child care for:

·         The hours of employment of a single parent.  Employment averaging 28 hours per week during the month meets the employment requirement.

·         The hours when both parents in a two-parent home meet the need for child care.  In a two-parent household, both parents must fully meet the conditions of employment, participation in an educational program, or recently unemployed and seeking work.

·         Sleep time during the daytime hours if the parent works at least six hours between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. and:

§  There is not another parent in the home, or

§  The other parent in the home is unable to care for the child during the daytime hours because that parent meets a need for service during those hours.

·         The program providing child care must be at a QRS level 3 with documentation provided with the application.

The handbook with additional information including the reporting requirements and guidelines are posted on our web site at www.buildingfamilies.net. Programs that parents are utilizing for this funding will be asked to attend an evening meeting for additional information. Please have completed applications with all documentation including a copy of the child’s birth certificate and the QRS certificate into our office by November 30^th. Any applications that do not contain all information required will be put on hold until the information is received. Applications will be processed and approved on a first come first served basis. Send all applications to:

Ann Stewart, LBSW

Executive Director

500 Fair Meadow Drive, Suite A

Webster City, Iowa 50595

If you have immediate questions please call or e-mail Ann Stewart: 515-832-1791 or astewart@hamiltoncountymhsb.org.