CWES Update 26-06: Implementation of 24-Month CalWORKs Child Care Eligibility

CWES Handbook

Date References Clerical Implementation
04/15/2026 CCB 25-15E N/A Immediately

Background

Through the CalWORKs Stage I Child Care program, eligible CalWORKs Employment Services (CWES) families receive child care to assist them in successfully meeting their Welfare-to-Work (WTW) requirements.  Senate Bill (SB) 80 increased access to Stage I Child Care for these eligible participants by establishing immediate and continuous child care.  Authorizations for immediate and continuous child care lasted for 12 months, or until the participant was no longer eligible.

Changes

Effective January 1, 2025, Assembly Bill (AB) 1808 extends the minimum 12-month eligibility period to 24 months for eligible individuals enrolled in the CalWORKs Child Care Programs.  Due to issues with implementation and automation of the 24-month eligibility period, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) extended the implementation deadline to July 1, 2025.

 

Families who received a 12-month certification with a Begin Date on or after January 1, 2025, must be granted an additional 12 months of eligibility before their recertification or next authorization occurs, provided they continue to meet Stage One Child Care eligibility requirements (e.g., The family has not voluntarily reported exceeding income limits, moved out of state, or abandoned care, and the child remains age eligible).

 

Children who are 12 years old when certified must be certified for not less than 12 months.  If a child turns 13 years old within the initial 12 months of the eligibility period, the certification should clearly indicate eligibility for 12 months, including anytime after turning 13 years old in the 12-month period.  However, their eligibility does not extend to 24 months.  For an example refer to Child Care Service Approval and Authorization.

 

The following applies to 24-month eligibility:

 

  • For families enrolled in Stage I Child Care with a Begin Date on or after January 1, 2025, a family deemed eligible for services shall receive those services for no less than 24 months before recertification and is not required to report changes for at least 24 months.
  • Associate Employment Counselors (AECs)/Employment Counselors (ECs) shall continue to manage eligibility for Stage I Child Care and may discontinue authorization under any of the circumstances listed in Child Care Service Discontinuances.
  • Immediate and continuous eligibility for child care remains the concurrent approval of CalWORKs cash aid and authorization for full-time CalWORKs Stage I Child Care services.  This care is authorized as full-time unless the recipient specifically requests part-time care.  Stage I child care begins the date the CalWORKs Stage I Child Care Authorization Form (CCP 8) is provided or the first day child care is used, whichever is later.
  • Participants' transition from Stage I to Stage II shall continue to be monitored so that participants do not experience a break in child care services as they move between the different CalWORKs child care stages.

 

The following table can be used as a tool when setting up child care certification/approval for existing and new child care approvals:

 

Approval Status

In CalSAWS,

 

If the Certificate Begin Date is...

 Then the case...
Existing  On or after January 1, 2025

must be granted an additional 12 months of child care eligibility before their recertification or next authorization occurs, provided they continue to meet Stage I Child Care eligibility requirements.

 

Example: There is an existing child care certificate/approval period from 6/1/2025-5/31/2026 for an 8-year-old child.  If eligible, the AEC/EC must create a second 12-month child care authorization certificate in CalSAWS for the period of 6/1/2026-5/31/2027 for the same child care provider and issue the Child Care Services Approval (NA 832).  Additionally, the AEC/EC must add a CalSAWS Journal Entry stating , "An additional 12 months of child care is granted per CWES Update 26-06.  A Child Care Services Approval (NA 832) has been sent to the client."
New on or after April 15, 2026 Child care certificate/approval will have a 24-month period.
*Exception: Children who are 12 years old when certified must be certified for 12 months, including after they turn 13 years old.

 

With this Update, the following topics located in Chapter 1, "Scheduling Process" and Chapter 9, "Child Care Services" have been revised in the CWES Handbook to reflect these changes:

 

 

CalSAWS

CalSAWS Release 25.07, which occurred on July 21, 2025, updated CalSAWS to allow users to create a child care certificate with a period of up to 24 months.  All existing functionalities remain unchanged.

 

When granting an additional 12 months of child care to families who received a 12-month certification, the AEC/EC must add a CalSAWS Journal Entry stating, "An additional 12 months of child care is granted per CWES Update 26-06.  A Child Care Services Approval (NA 832) has been sent to the client."

Forms

The CalWORKs Child Care Checklist (SCD 1775) has been updated to reflect current business processes and to remove information regarding 4Cs.

 

The Child Care Services Discontinuance (NA 835) form created and updated by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), still references 12-month child care authorizations.

 

CDSS is aware that this form does not currently align with AB 1808 and is in the process of updating it.  Once the form has been updated, CWES will be notified.  Until CDSS updates the form, AECs/ECs must cross out the references to 12-month child care and replace them with 24-month child care.  However, this does not apply to the authorizations or certifications for 12-year-old children.

 

Department of Employment & Benefits Services

Contact Person(s): Michelle Rojas & Ric Santos, SSA BPIS, (408) 755-7540