 
Child Care and Development Fund
Region IV State Child Care Web Sites |
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Alabama |
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Florida |
http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/ess/ www.floridajobs.org/earlylearning/ |
Georgia |
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Kentucky |
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Mississippi |
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North Carolina |
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South Carolina |
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Tennessee |
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The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) made available $4.9 billion to states in FY 2006. Tribes received approximately $99.5 million for FY 2006. This program, authorized by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, PL 104-193, assists low-income families receiving temporary public assistance, and those transitioning from public assistance in obtaining child care so they can work or attend training/education.
The Child Care and Development Fund program has changed federally subsidized child care programs in States allowing them to serve families through a single, integrated child care system. All child care funding is now combined under the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act. Revised final CCDBG regulations which apply to the combined Child Care and Development Fund program were issued on January 24, 1998.
Quality Activities
A minimum of four percent of CCDF funds must be used to improve the quality of child care and offer additional services to parents, such as resource and referral counseling regarding the selection of appropriate child care providers to meet their child’s needs. Consistent with prior years, the fiscal year 2006 appropriation includes additional funding for specific purposes: nearly $170 million for quality expansion, $98 million to improve the quality of care for infants and toddlers, and $19 million to improve school-age care and Child Care Resource and Referral Services.
Research
Fiscal year 2006 funding includes $10 million for child care research, demonstration, and evaluation activities. These funds are increasing the capacity for child care research at the national, State, and local levels while addressing critical questions with implications for children and families. Funds have been awarded to support individual project areas, including field-initiated research, research partnerships, research scholars, a web-based archive called Child Care and Early Education Research Connections, a provider evaluation initiative, and an evaluation of child care subsidy policies.
Technical Assistance
One fourth of 1 percent of the total CCDF is used by the Child Care Bureau to provide technical assistance to grantees. Its technical assistance network is designed to address the needs of States, Territories and Tribes administering the Child Care and Development Fund.