Child Care Service Background

Senate Bill (SB) 80 increased access to Stage I Child Care for CalWORKs Welfare-to-Work (WTW) individuals by providing an immediate and continuous 12-month Stage I Child Care certification for full-time care. Assembly Bill (AB) 1808 extended the minimum 12-month eligibility period to 24 months for eligible individuals enrolled in CalWORKs Stage I child care programs. The 24-month eligibility period supports a two-generational, CalWORKs 2.0 approach that disrupts the cycle of poverty by simultaneously focusing on the needs of parents and their children.

When children receive an early and long-term child care approval, they benefit by receiving stable child development opportunities. Immediate and continuous Stage I Child Care also aligns with other statewide child development and child care subsidy programs. For the purpose of the changes associated with AB 1808, the term 24-month authorization refers to a 24-month approval period.

Definition of Terms

The following is a definition of terms used in this chapter:

Full-time Care

Child Care is approved full-time, unless an individual requests part-time care. The Associate Employment Counselor (AEC)/ Employment Counselor (EC) documents this in the CalSAWS Journal Detail page, with a Journal Entry.

Maximum Payment Rate

“Maximum Payment Rate” means the Regional Market Rates (RMR) ceiling plus any applicable adjustments.

Note: If full-time care is approved, and the child attends part-time, only part-time child care is paid.

School Age

“School Age” means children in kindergarten through grade nine.

Fiscal Year

“Fiscal Year” is from July 1 through June 30.

Continuous Child Care

Continuous child care is referred to as receiving a child care approval for 24 continuous months and can only be discontinued for any of the following reasons:

Transferred to Stage II Child Care.

Note: Individuals who time out from CalWORKs and who are not eligible for Stage II child care will continue to be eligible in Stage I for the remainder of the 24-month period.

Discontinued due to income exceeding 85% of the state median income for the family size.
For an exempt volunteer who initially requests to volunteer, but later decides not to participate and did not sign a WTW Plan, document the 15-day and 30-day outreach efforts with a Journal Entry in the CalSAWS Journal Detail page.

Note: When the exemption ends, the AEC/EC will mail the client a CalWORKs Child Care Request Form (CCP 7) and CalWORKs Stage One Child Care Authorization Form (CCP 8), and contact the client every 15 days thereafter until confirmation of child care has been secured, the participant indicates that they need additional time to secure child care, or until 30 days pass without a response from the client.

Intends to cure a WTW Sanction, but did not sign a Plan to Meet Welfare to Work Rules and Get My Cash Aid Back (WTW 29), document the 15-day and 30-day outreach efforts with a Journal Entry in the CalSAWS Journal Detail page. The client may contact the county again to indicate another intent to cure the sanction.

Note: Only after the curing sanction plan is signed is the individual eligible for 24 months of continuous child care.

Reminder: When authorizing child care for a 12-year-old, the 24 months of continuous child care does not apply, and child care should instead be set up for 12 continuous months. If a child turns 13 within this 12-month approval period, documentation must be added to the Notes section on page 3 of the Notice of Action Child Care Services Approval (NA 832) to clearly indicate they are only eligible for 12 months of child care, including time after they turn 13 years old.

Child Care Utilization

When child care is approved for 24 continuous months but not utilized, it cannot be discontinued unless the client requests discontinuance. The approval will remain in effect until 24 months have passed, or the participant is transferred to Stage II Child Care, or any of the circumstances listed in the Child Care Service Discontinuances section apply to the case.