These days, most families cannot afford expensive babysitting services yet they also can’t afford giving up a job in order to take care of the child at home. This is why many folks look into child care assistance and how it can tide them over during difficult times.
Child care assistance comes in various forms, and the Housekeeper important thing is to gather all the sources of information to see which ones you would qualify for. Not everyone qualifies for child care assistance, so make sure that you are armed with all the data you need to avail of this benefit.
How you could qualify
Usually, child care assistance is granted to low-income families, but this doesn’t mean you need to get stuck with a low income just so you could qualify for child care assistance. In some states, subsidies are provided to working families, allowing them to increase their earning power while keeping them eligible for child care assistance.
Aside from a family’s income, another factor that programs would look into are the hours that parents are involved in work, or approved education or training. Child care assistance come in the form of subsidies that are directly paid to the child care provider.
These rates, as mentioned earlier, largely depend on the applicant’s current income, while some child care assistance fees also depend on the applicant’s number of children.
There are also places where school holiday programs are provided – something that many parents are unaware of. Also, in some cities, child care assistance subsidies may extend even for children aged 13-15. It also helps that many programs also provide health insurance for certified child care providers.
How it works
In child care assistance programs, parents may avail of more than one type of child care provider to meet their needs. Some of the options they have are:
– care by a provider selected by the parents in their own home;
– enrolment in a licensed after-school program or a child care center;
– care by one of the child’s relatives, in that relative’s home; or
– enrolment of the child in a licensed family child care home.
How to get help