Title

Child Care Access Grants

Intro

Child Care Access Grantees can help families experiencing homelessness or housing instability apply for and maintain their child care assistance.

Services/Topics

Child Care and Early Learning

Eligibility

Families experiencing homelessness or housing instability who qualify for the Child Care Assistance Program.

Benefits

Support applying for and maintaining Child Care Assistance Program benefits.

Resources

Apply for child care assistance

Featured Image

Child care educators with a young infant.

More Information

Child care assistance for families experiencing homelessness

The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) can help pay for child care while parents/guardians work, look for employment, attend school or participate in activities within an employment plan. If a family identifies as experiencing homelessness on the Child Care Assistance Program application, their application will be processed within five business days without required verifications. Families experiencing homelessness are exempt from child care assistance activity requirements for three months to allow the family to search for housing or meet other basic needs.

How grantees help families

Applying for and maintaining child care assistance can be difficult for families experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Child Care Access Grantees are available to help these Minnesota families. Grantees can support you by:

Applying for the Child Care Assistance Program
Obtaining required verifications
Providing transportation services
Paying for child care costs not covered by the Child Care Assistance Program, and
Other supports to help families maintain their child care assistance eligibility.

What families experiencing homelessness need to know

If a family identifies as experiencing homelessness on the Child Care Assistance Program application, their application will be processed within five business days without required verifications. Families experiencing homelessness are exempt from child care assistance activity requirements for three months to allow the family to search for housing or meet other basic needs.

The Child Care Assistance Program defines a household as homeless if they lack a fixed, adequate nighttime residence. This includes but is not limited to families living in transitional housing, shelters, cars, outside and public spaces, motels and families doubling up due to loss of housing, hardship, or other reasons.

When filling out the Child Care Assistance Program application, families experiencing homelessness should select one of the following for their living situation:

Place not meant for housing (anywhere outside, a vehicle, and abandoned building or bus/train/airport)
Family/friends due to economic hardship
Hotel or motel
Emergency shelter

If the Living Situation is answered as “Unknown” or “Declined”, the family is not eligible for expedited child care. The living situation reported on the CCAP application by the family is used to determine whether the family is experiencing homelessness. To benefit from these revised policies, it is essential that families select this option on their application if eligible.

Individuals and Families

Partners and Providers

Get Involved

Child Care Access Grants

Eligibility

Benefits

Child care assistance for families experiencing homelessness

How grantees help families

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