Child care workers in Arkansas are now eligible to participate in the state’s Child Care Assistance Program.
The Arkansas Department of Education receives a Child Care Development Block Grant totaling more than $100 million each year from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Child Care. These funds provide child care assistance to low-income families who are employed. ADE requested and was granted a waiver to expand the assistance program to early child care workers as well as adoptive parents who qualify.
More than half of the state’s 1,900 licensed or registered child care or early childhood facilities currently participate in the Child Care Assistance Program, making thousands of child care workers employed by one of these facilities potentially eligible for assistance. Child care workers must work a total of 30 hours, which can be a combination of work at the child care facility that accepts CCDF funds plus any other places of employment. Follow this link to learn more about the program or to apply.
With the rising costs of child care, this program provides much needed support for our state’s early care and education workforce. We are grateful to the state’s Office of Early Childhood for taking the initiative to expand the Child Care Assistance Program to early childhood educators!
