In November 2014, Congress reauthorized the Child Care & Development Block Grant for the first time since 1996. New requirements will bring much-needed improvements that are child-focused, family friendly and fair to providers, while maintaining state flexibility.
The Iowa Department of Human Services has developed a new Child Care State Plan that incorporates the requirements of the reauthorization without need for additional funding.
Changes will:
- Provide consistency for kids by increasing eligibility for child care assistance to 12 months, instead of 6.
- Soften the impact on working families by tapering off child care assistance as income goes up.
- Allow families to receive child care assistance for 3 months while searching for work.
- Offer higher reimbursement rates for providers that achieve a high Quality Rating score.
- Require a bigger investment in quality programming.
- Give more on-site monitoring of child care settings.
- Include annual unannounced visits to providers.
- Require more training for providers.