The Basics

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 vary from county to county. If you get Colorado Works benefits and get a referral to CCCAP from your Colorado Works eligibility worker or case manager, then you automatically qualify for CCCAP (and bypass the waiting list, if there is one). Learn more about who can get CCCAP and how to apply.

There are many different ways to get child care:

• Public or private child care centers or preschools
• Licensed family child care homes
• School-age care programs
• A friend, neighbor, or relative

With CCCAP, you choose the child care that is best for your family, get your choice approved by your county human services department, and then you pay part of your child care costs (called the parent fee), and CCCAP pays for the rest.

The parent fee is 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. Learn more about how CCCAP works.