2830 Types of Child Care - Child care recipients are coded with one of the following types of child care or payment codes. Each type has specific eligibility guidelines and requirements.

 

2831 TANF Child Care - TANF Child Care is used when any member of the nuclear family (as defined in KEESM 4410) receives TANF (including the Work Incentive payment), and for TANF applicants for activities as established by Work Programs policy. For applicants, if the application for TANF is denied, the child care plan shall be terminated.  When initial notification of eligibility is sent, the following statement should be included:  "if the application for cash assistance is denied, child care benefits will be terminated at the end of the next possible month, with 10 days' notice. If you become employed, additional child care assistance may be available."     

                     

TANF Child Care may be used for the following reasons:

 

  1. Work Program Participation  - TANF recipients needing child care to participate in Work Programs.  This includes Tribal members who are subject to requirements under Indian Tribal TANF programs if not furnished by the Tribal Child Care program.  Child care which is appropriate in meeting any special needs of Tribal participants must be made available on an equitable basis.

  2. Maintain Employment - TANF recipients who need child care for employment. Since participation in on-campus Job Corps programs is considered employment, TANF Child Care is available for TANF-eligible Job Corps participants. 
     
  3. Social Services - TANF recipient families who have a temporary emergency need. This is primarily based upon the parent/caretaker’s need and will be authorized for twelve (12) months. Twenty-four (24) hours of care per day may be available for a period not to exceed 30 days dependent upon the situation. Regulated providers need to have a written authorization for an exception from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Child Care Licensing to provide more than 18 hours of care per day by the same person.

    Children in families with or without open social service cases may be eligible.

    Qualifying social service reasons would be:

    1. Parents in Crisis:
       
      1. Parent hospitalized or otherwise temporarily unable to provide adequate care for the child. This could be inpatient or outpatient, for physical health, mental health or substance abuse treatment. There is no other adult to care for the child.
         
      2. Family in the process of DCF Intake and Assessment through Child Protective Services.
         
      3. Family receiving services through a family preservation contractor or DCF Prevention and Protection Services (PPS) Social Worker.

    2. Children in Foster Care.  Child care for these families will not be limited to 12 months as with other social service child care.

    3. Children whose caretaker has placed them with a “Safe Families” due to a family crisis, thereby avoiding placement of the children in Foster Care. These children are not in Foster Care. Child care for these children must be needed due to the employment or education/training of the adults in the “Safe Families”. A completed “Child Care for Children in Safe Families or Relative or Kinship Foster Care” form 1627b must accompany the application for child care. This form is to be completed by a representative of the Safe Families agency. Child care for these families will not be limited to 12 months as with other social service child care.

    4. Parents Performing Essential Functions during a Disaster or Emergency. When a disaster or emergency has been declared by Kansas Government and child care is needed for parents to continue performing essential functions, eligibility for Child Care Assistance may be granted under the social service need reason. When a disaster or emergency has been declared, specific guidance will be provided in a separate Policy Memo for each event due to the limitations of funds and variations in the number of parents who may be eligible. In addition to an application, reasonable verification that the parent performs an essential function that was approved in the Policy Memo will be required.

The Social Service child care reason would not be used for:

    1. Children in foster care being placed back with the parent on a limited basis and child care is needed due to parent employment. The maintain employment reason should be used.
       
    2. Respite care.
       
    3. SSI children.
       
    4. Children over the age of 13 at the time of initial eligibility. The appropriate reason would be used based on the need for care.
       
    5. Disabled children. The appropriate reason code would be used based on the need for care.
       

A Request for Social Services Child Care form (ES-1627 or ES-1627b) is required and must be signed by the EES/SS Program Administrator or designee in the respective DCF Service Center. At the end of the twelve (12)-month timeframe, the family must meet another of the qualifying reasons for child care in order to continue receiving child care assistance.

  1. EHS Partnership - Child care is available for families participating in the Kansas Early Head Start/Child Care Partnership program. EES staff will determine if the family has any outstanding cooperation or fraud issues, but all other aspects of eligibility shall be determined by the Early Head Start grantees based on Early Head Start eligibility standards.


See the KEES User Manual for further information on system processing.

2832 Reserved

 

2833 Reserved

 

2834 Reserved