Frequently Asked Questions

If you live in Colorado and have low income and few resources, the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) helps pay for child care while you work, look for work, or go to school. The CCCAP income limits and requirements are different in each of Colorado's 64 counties, but if you get Colorado Works benefits and get a referral from your eligibility worker or case manager, you automatically qualify for CCCAP. Learn more about who can get CCCAP and how to apply.

Other options:

• Colorado Preschool Program offers low-cost half-day or full-day preschool or full-day kindergarten for children who are considered at risk of failing in school in the future.
• Denver Preschool Program (DPP) helps Denver families pay for high-quality preschool.
• Head Start / Early Head Start helps young children from low-income families prepare to start school.

The Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) helps low-income families pay for child care while the parents work, look for work, or go to school. Each of Colorado's 64 counties manages its own local CCCAP program, and the income limits and requirements are different in each county. With CCCAP, you choose the child care that is best for your family, get your choice approved, and then you pay your parent fee (on a sliding scale of 1% to 14% of your household income), and CCCAP pays for the rest. Learn more about how CCCAP works.

To get help paying for child care through the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP), you must have a child under age 13 (or under 19 if the child has special needs or a disability and needs child care). Learn more about who can get CCCAP.

You can apply for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP):

• Online through Colorado PEAK
• By contacting your local county human services department, or
• By downloading a paper form, filling it out, and mailing or taking it to your local county human services department.

When you apply, you have up to 30 days to provide either:

• Copies of pay stubs, or other documents showing where you work and how much you earn, or
• Proof that you are enrolled in an education program.

Learn more about how to apply for CCCAP.

After you have correctly completed the entire Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) application (including signing it) and submitted all required documents, it can take up to 15 days to get a letter or email saying whether or not you have been approved to get CCCAP benefits. Learn more about how CCCAP works.

When you get approved for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP), you get a letter or email telling you how many child care hours are included, the rate your provider can charge, and the amount of your parent fee, which is how much you must pay each month. You pay your parent fee directly to your child care provider at the start of each month, and the county pays the rest to your provider.

Parent fees are on a sliding scale of 1% to 14% of your household income. Where you are on the sliding scale depends on the size of your household, your income, the number of children getting child care, and the total number of child care hours needed. If your child care provider is licensed and gets a high quality rating (a 3, 4, or 5 on the 1-5 scale) from Colorado Shines, you get a 20% discount on your parent fee.

You do have to pay for any hours of child care over the total number of hours approved by CCCAP, and any late fees for picking up your child after hours. Learn more about how CCCAP works.

Once you are approved for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP), it is up to you to find the right child care for your children. You can choose a licensed child care center, a licensed family child care home, or a friend, neighbor, or relative caretaker.

Colorado Shines is a free service that helps you find and research licensed child care and preschool programs throughout Colorado. It offers:

• A Child Care Referral line at 1-877-338-CARE (2273), where you can get help finding a child care program
• Ratings of licensed child care programs
• A way to search for licensed child care providers that accept CCCAP
• Descriptions of the many different types of child care programs, and
• A step-by-step guide for finding quality child care.

If you are interested in a child care provider, contact it to see if they have space and if they accept CCCAP. If you choose a licensed child care provider with a high quality rating from Colorado Shines (3, 4, or 5 in its 1-5 rating system), you get a 20% discount on your parent fee.

Once you choose a child care provider, you must report their name, address, and phone number, and if they are licensed to your local county human services department, so CCCAP can approve paying them. Note: You must do this before your child starts going to that child care provider. If you don't, CCCAP will not pay the costs of any child care you get before your provider is approved.

If the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) pays some or all of your child care costs, you can change your child care provider. However, you must tell CCCAP before your child starts going to the new person or facility. If you don't, CCCAP won't pay for any child care you get before the county approves your new provider. Learn more about how CCCAP works.

If the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) helps pay some of your child care costs, every 12 months you must fill out a Redetermination of Eligibility Form so your local county human services department can see if you still qualify for CCCAP. If your current income is more than the Exit Income limit, your CCCAP benefits will stop.

You must fill out and turn in the redetermination form with proof of your current situation (like 30 days of paycheck stubs and your work schedule). If you don't submit the form and needed documents, your child care benefits will end.

If the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) helps pay for some of your child care costs, there are several things you must do to keep getting this benefit.

If you change your child care provider, you must tell your local county human services department before your child starts going to the new person or facility. You must also tell them within four weeks if:

• Your income changes
• Your child care schedule changes, or
• There are any other changes that might affect your eligibility for CCCAP.

Every 12 months, you must fill out a Redetermination of Eligibility Form so your county can see if you still qualify for CCCAP. If your current income is more than the Exit Income limit, your CCCAP benefits will stop.

You must fill out and turn in the redetermination form with proof of your current situation (like 30 days of paycheck stubs and your work schedule). If you don't submit the form and needed documents, your child care benefits will end.

Learn more about how CCCAP works.

Each of Colorado's 64 counties manages its own local Colorado Child Care Assistance (CCCAP) program. If CCCAP helps pay for your child care and you move:

• Out of Colorado, you can no longer get CCCAP benefits.
• Within your same Colorado county, you do not have to report the move until you fill out your annual redetermination form. However, if the move means you change child care providers, you must notify your county before changing providers.
• From one Colorado county to another (without changing child care providers), when it is time for redetermination your form should go to your new county.

Note: If you do move from one Colorado county to another, it can be a good idea to tell your local county human services department about the move when it happens (even though you don't have to tell them), so they can help you make sure that your redetermination form gets submitted correctly.