Child
Care and Development Fund
The
Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) supports low-income working
families through child care financial assistance and promotes
children's learning by improving the quality of early care and
education and afterschool programs. A portion of the funds is
used for activities that improve the quality of care and promote
early learning.
Subsidized
child care services are available to eligible families through
vouchers or contracts with providers. Parents may select any legally
operating child care provider that accepts subsidies'including
a child care center, family child care home, relative, friend
or neighbor. States use quality enhancement dollars for resource
and referral services, provider training and technical assistance,
grants and loans to providers for specific improvements, monitoring
of compliance with regulatory requirements and other activities.
Federal
funding is awarded to States, Territories, Puerto Rico and Federally
recognized Indian Tribes. These governments, in turn, distribute
subsidy funds to eligible families and providers. Within basic
Federal parameters, States have flexibility to define income eligibility
and establish other key aspects of program design. Quality enhancement
activities are frequently implemented through child care resource
and referral agencies, institutions of higher education, and other
partners.
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Contact
Information:
Child Care Bureau
Administration
on Children,
Youth
and Families
Portals Building
1250 Maryland Ave., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20024
Telephone: 202-690-6782
Fax: 202-690-5600
Website:
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb
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Keywords:
child care;family resources;child and youth development;employment;self-sufficiency.
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