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Child Care Assistance Program Compliance
The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) helps families with low incomes pay for child care so that parents can work or go to school, and children have more opportunities to thrive as learners. Nearly 4,000 child care providers are registered with CCAP. This website provides information to help child care programs registered with CCAP stay in compliance and understand compliance visits.
Compliance visits
On-site compliance visits are part of the Child Care Assistance Program’s (CCAP) efforts to make sure the program is working as intended and that public funds are used appropriately. These visits help protect the integrity of the program, while supporting families’ continued access to safe, reliable and high-quality child care across Minnesota.
Additional site visits
In Minnesota and nationally, there has been increased attention on child care oversight, including how public funds are used to support families. In response, DCYF announced earlier this year that it would conduct additional on-site compliance checks to child care programs that participate in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). This page contains information about the additional compliance checks.
What to expect during a site visit
Visits focus on compliance with CCAP requirements and related program documentation, including recordkeeping, staffing, and health and safety requirements. You do not need to prepare anything in advance.
Investigators from the Department of Children, Youth, and Families’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) will:
- Clearly identify themselves by name and agency
- Present official identification
- Explain the purpose of the visit.
Investigators conduct their work professionally and respectfully, taking care to minimize disruption to children and daily operations. During a visit, you should continue with normal operations, cooperate with investigators and ask questions if you need clarification.
Frequently asked questions about compliance visits
Any program that receives CCAP funding may be subject to a compliance check. To protect the integrity of these compliance checks, DCYF will not provide details about where our inspectors are going.
Yes. Similar to unannounced licensing visits, providers will not be notified ahead of a visit.
Fraud requires that someone intentionally withholds, conceals, or misrepresents information for the purposes of obtaining CCAP (or helping someone else to receive CCAP). Fraud must be established through specific processes, such as criminal conviction or an administrative disqualification hearing.
If a site visit finds CCAP rules were not followed, the Office of Inspector General may take action. Depending on the nature, severity, and frequency of the problem/errors, this may include providing technical assistance, issuing a correction order, assessing an overpayment or issuing a termination. The agency may also pursue disqualification, temporarily suspend or withhold payments, or refer the matter to law enforcement.
If a site visit finds CCAP rules were not followed, the Office of Inspector General may take action. Depending on the nature, severity, and frequency of the problem, this may include providing technical assistance, issuing a correction order, assessing an overpayment or issuing a termination. The agency may also pursue disqualification, temporarily suspend or withhold payments, or refer the matter to law enforcement.
A provider who receives child care assistance has different challenge and appeal rights depending on the action taken. Providers do not have appeal rights for actions taken against a family.
You can learn about provider appeal rights in the Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Child Care Provider Guide (DHS-5260) pages 83 – 86.
Yes. If you participate in CCAP, allowing access to your program is required to maintain your license. This applies whether you operate a center or a family child care program in your home.
If you do not let a DCYF Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigator in, it is a violation of Minnesota law (Minnesota Statutes, section 142E.52) and could result in administrative actions, including disqualification or stopping payments.
If a Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) agent is present during the visit, you are still required to allow both DCYF and BCA staff into your program. Denying access to either would be considered a violation.
Potentially. Investigators are not required to limit the scope of their work when completing CCAP compliance visits. If a program is receiving public funds under other programs, they are subject to review.
Frequently asked questions about compliance requirements
Attendance records
As a condition of payment, providers must maintain complete daily attendance records for all children receiving Child Care Assistance (CCAP).
The attendance record must:
- Be accurate, legible, and completed daily
- Be kept at the site where services are delivered for six years after the date of service.
- Be immediately available upon request to the county, Tribe, or the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).
Providers are required to document the following information:
- Date
- Each Child's first and last name
- Each child's drop-off and pick-up times.
To the extent possible, drop-off and pick-up times must be entered by the person dropping off or picking up the child. This means:
- The people dropping off and picking up a child (for example, the child’s parents, guardians, or trusted adults) are primarily responsible for entering in and out times on attendance records.
- The attendance record needs to show who entered each child’s in and out times.
Providers are responsible for:
- Ensuring that “to the extent possible” in and out times are recorded by the person dropping off and picking up the child.
- Educating families on their role in the attendance record process and taking the necessary steps to comply with the law. For example, you could consider having a staff person monitor the sign in/out sheet to make sure that parents record times daily.
Someone other than a parent, such as a teacher or a bus driver, may complete the attendance record under certain circumstances. For example, if:
- A parent occasionally forgets to enter drop-off and pick-up times on attendance records, as long as this is an infrequent occurrence. Children are transported to and from school on a bus.
Providers may use the CCAP Monthly Child Care Attendance Record form DHS-6584A (PDF) or Daily Attendance Record (DHS-6584B).
Providers may also use another method if it includes the required information. Plans are underway to roll out electronic attendance requirements starting June 22, 2026. For more information, see question 2.7 below.
Attendance records must be kept at the service location for six years and be made immediately available upon request by the CCAP agency or the state of Minnesota. Records that are not produced immediately cannot later be used to dispute overpayments or disqualifications.
Failure to maintain accurate attendance records may result in overpayments or other negative actions. See Minnesota Statutes § 142E.16, subdivisions 7 and 8, Minnesota Statutes § 142E.51, subdivision 7, and Minnesota Statutes § 142E.54 subdivisions 1 and 2.
Beginning June 22, 2026, some child care providers who receive CCAP payments will be required to submit electronic attendance records. Providers will receive at least 90 days notice before the date they will be required to begin submitting their attendance records electronically. This site has more information.
Examples of other documents you need to keep, maintain, and make immediately available to DCYF OIG investigators include records about:
- Employees and payroll
- Banking and accounting
- CCAP billing
- Business ownership
- Transportation of children.
You can learn about record keeping requirements in the Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Child Care Provider Guide (DHS-5260) pages 22 & 23.
Billing
CCAP may pay up to 25 total absent days per child, per calendar year (not more than 10 in a row).
Mark absent days on the billing form by entering an “A” on days when:
- A child was scheduled and authorized to be in care, but they were absent the full day.
- You charge all families for these days.
- Your program is open, and care is available.
- Your attendance records show the child as absent that day.
If a child attends part of the day and leaves early, do not bill an absent day. Bill the child’s authorized and scheduled hours for the day. For example, if a child is scheduled and authorized for six hours on a day, but they only attended 3 hours, you may bill and be paid for six hours if:
- The billing form and attendance record both show the child attended; and
- The attendance record is complete.
When a child’s attendance drops to less than half of their scheduled and authorized hours or days for a four-week period, you must report that on the billing form.
CCAP cannot pay for provider vacation days, provider sick days or any other days that child care is not available, except for holidays. Do not bill CCAP for these days.
CCAP may pay up to 10 cultural or religious holidays per child, per calendar year.
Mark holidays on the billing form by entering an “H” on days when:
- You are closed and not providing care.
- You charge all families for these days.
- The holiday falls on a day when the child is authorized and scheduled to be in attendance.
You must report holidays on your registration or renewal or within 10 calendar days after the holiday.
If you are open on a holiday, and a child is scheduled to be in care but is absent, bill an absent day.
Failure to properly bill an absent day or holiday can result in overpayments or other negative actions, regardless of whether a child has reached their limit.
Need more information?
Center licensing or certification questions
- Call your licensor or the licensor on call: 651-431-6015
- Email: DCYF.ccc.licensing@state.mn.us
Family child care licensing questions
- Contact your county or Tribal licensing agency
- Email: DCYF.fccproviderquestions@state.mn.us
General questions about CCAP policy
- Contact the DCYF CCAP Provider Support team: 651-431-4848
- Email: CCAP.Providers.DCYF@state.mn.us
Specific questions about a family’s CCAP case or payment
- Contact the child’s local CCAP agency
- Note: Local agencies handle individual case questions and can only share limited information due to data privacy.