WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE?
The Family Independence Agency (FIA) provides child care assistance to several types of families, including public assistance recipients who are working or engaged in job search activities, families transitioning off of welfare, and low-income working families “at-risk” of going on to welfare. The FIA makes the determination of which families are “at-risk” based on income level and family size; there are no federally set maximums or minimums. For a given family size, the FIA provides assistance based on a sliding income scale, covering between 25% and 95% of hourly child care charges up to a maximum hourly rate. The family makes up the remainder plus any amount above the maximum covered rate. Table 2 below provides an example of the sliding scale in effect for low-income families and families transitioning off of welfare. To determine how much the FIA contributes toward child care for a family of three, the gross annual income must be known. TABLE 2 Gross Annual Income Range for Family
