Compliance Indicator

Families with children enrolled in the program have met the eligibility requirements of that contract, and the required documentation is complete. A family data file has been established for each family. Except as otherwise specified in WIC Section 10271 or applicable pilot county, the eligibility duration is for no less than 12/24 months for the initial certification and recertification.

Exception to 24-month eligibility includes C2AP and C3AP (12 months)

Regulations/Reference

CCD Program Instrument: I. Family Files CCD 01
Welfare & Institutions Code: 10260, 10271, 10271(h), 10271.5, 10271.7
Title 5: 18078, 18081, 18082.2, 18083, 18083.1, 18084, 18084.1, 18085, 18090, 18091 

Monitoring Review Evidence

• Application for Services & Information Verification

• Records of Eligibility, Residency & Family Size

• Records of Verification of Eligibility Information

• Written Materials for Parents

Eligibility

Once a family establishes eligibility, they will remain eligible & receive services for not less than 12 months for CalWORKs and 24 month for CAPP. With that said, it’s very important to ensure you “get it right from the get-go” when it comes to determining a family’s eligibility for services, or you could find yourself living with a file error for 12-24 months.

NOTE: Based on the recently approve assembly bill 1808, effective January 1, 2025 CalWORKs will allow for 24-month eligibility. Keep an eye out for guidance in the upcoming months.

Eligibility Criteria

According to the regulations, eligibility is based on either child or family eligibility.

Child Eligibility

• Child protective services

• At-risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation

Family Eligibility

• Homelessness

• CalWORKs Cash Aid Recipient

• Receiving Benefits from Certain Governmental Program

• Income Eligible (85% SMI)

What this might look like in a program:

• Family provides documentation of eligibility in 1 or more category

• Agency representative reviews documentation to determine if it meets eligibility requirements

Duration of Eligibility

According to the regulations, program eligibility is determined at the time of certification & recertification.

Once a family establishes eligibility & need, they will remain eligible & receive services for not less than 12 months for CalWORKs and 24 months for CAPP

No requirement to report changes, except income eligible families with income that exceeds income threshold

Parent may voluntarily report changes at anytime

Eligibility timeline starts on the date the agency representative signs the application for services certifying that eligibility criteria has been met 

Alternating Residence

According to the regulations, when a child’s residence alternates between the homes of separated or divorced parents, eligibility must be determined separately for each household in which the child is residing during the time child development services are needed.

Photo Example:

• Child lives at mom’s house every other week & dad’s house every other week

• Since the child alternates between both mom & dad’s house eligibility would be determined separately for each family (2 separate family data files with separate applications & supporting documents)

Foster Parent/Guardian

According to the regulations, when a child & his or her siblings are living in a family that does not include their biological or adoptive parent, “family” shall be considered the child & related siblings.

Photo Example:

In this household there are 3 different families:

• First family: Unrelated foster child

• Second family: Married couple with one child

• Third family: Two siblings that are foster children

In this example, if all children were enrolled from this household, eligibility would be determined separately for each family (3 family data files with separate applications & supporting documents)

Documentation of Eligibility

Child Protective Services

Children receiving Child Protective Services (CPS) through the county welfare department may receive child care & development services if referred by a county child welfare services worker.

Referral Letter must include:

• County CPS letterhead

• Date

• Statement certifying that the child is receiving child protective services & that child care & development services are a necessary component of the child protective services plan

• Name & birth date of each child being referred

• Frequency of needed child care services that includes the number of days per week & number of hours per day child care is needed

• Probable duration of the child protective plan

• Name, address, phone number & signature of the person making the referral

NOTE: If no income waiver, documentation of monthly income is required to determine family fee.

Sample: CPS Referral Letter >

At-Risk

Children at-risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, & referred from a legally qualified professional in a legal, medical, or social services agency, a local educational agency liaison for homeless children & youths, a head start program, or an emergency shelter may receive child care & development services.

Referral Letter must include:

• Date

• Statement by a legally qualified professional that states: The child is at risk of abuse & neglect & that child care & development services are needed to reduce or eliminate that risk

• Name & birth date of each child being referred

• Frequency of needed child care services that includes the number of days per week & number of hours per day child care is needed

• Probable duration of at-risk situation

• Name, address, phone number & signature of the person making the referral

NOTE: If no income waiver, documentation of monthly income is required to determine family fee.

Sample: At-Risk Referral Letter >

Homelessness

The definition of homelessness aligns with the definition of "homeless children" that is in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children & youth as "children that lack a fixed, regular & adequate nighttime residence.”  And includes one of the following sub parts:

• Sharing housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason

• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks or camping

• Emergency or transitional shelters or abandoned in hospital

• Primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings

• Living in car, park, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings

• Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are children who are living in similar circumstances listed above

Either a written parental declaration that the family is experiencing homelessness OR written referral from an emergency shelter or other legal, medical or social services agency is needed to document eligibility of homelessness.

NOTE: Documentation of monthly income is collected for the purpose of prioritization & determination of family fee

Sample: Parental Declaration of Homelessness Form >

Sample: Homeless Referral Letter >

Current Aid Recipient

If the basis of eligibility is a current cash aid recipient, the parent must provide documentation of CalWORKs cash-aid, unless the contractor has other means of obtaining verification.

Examples of documentation may include:

• Notice of action from the welfare department

• Receipt of CalWORKs Cash Aid

• Verification of Benefits

NOTE: Documentation should be for the month proceeding certification or recertification

Receiving Benefits from Certain Governmental Program

A family is categorically eligible to receive child care & development services if a member in the household meets either of the two following criteria:

1. Member of the household has been certified as eligible to receive benefits or services from one of the following:

   • CalWORKs

   • Medi-Cal

   • CalFresh

   • California Food Assistance Program

   • California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

   • The Federal Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations

   • Head Start

   • Early Head Start

2. Contracting agency has determined a member of the household eligible for Head Start or Early Head Start

Documentation that demonstrates family is certified for a governmental program:

• Enrollment Documentation in any of the means-tested governmental programs referenced above (Example: Notice of Action | Receipt of Aid | Verification of Benefits) AND

• Copy of Governmental Program Application OR

• If not available, a Self-Declaration of Income indicating that they do not have access to the application, and to the best of their recollection, the income declared on the governmental program application

NOTE: Income declared on governmental program application is used for the purpose of prioritization & determination of family fee

Sample: Accessing Benefit Information Handout

Income Eligible

For initial & ongoing eligibility, a family’s adjusted monthly income must be at or below 85% of the State Median Income (SMI) threshold, adjusted for family size

To document income eligibility, a parent must provide a copy of their gross “Total Countable Income” from all sources for all individuals counted in the family size.

• Biological/Adoptive Parent: Parents Total Countable Gross Income minus verified child support payments paid-out by the parent is used to determine eligibility

• Guardian/Foster Parent: Only Countable Income received for the child & related siblings is used to determine eligibility

The Countable/Non-Countable Income Reference Sheet is a great tool to assist both staff & parents with determining what is countable & non-countable income

When determining income eligibility, if a parent is paying out VERIFIED child support for one of their children, it can be deducted from their countable gross income.

REGULAR & STEADY INCOME

Total countable income from either month of the 2-month window immediately preceding certification

For income eligibility, use any 4 weeks within the preceding 2 months

• Weekly - Pay is received once per week (need 4 check stubs)

• Every Two Weeks - Pay cycle is usually 14 days. Example: Every other Friday (need 2 check stubs)

• Bi-Monthly - Usually 15 days or longer. Example: Pay received 5th and 20th (need 2 check stubs)

• Monthly - Pay is received once per month

FLUCTUATING OR INCONSISTENT INCOME

Average the parent’s income from preceding 2 to 12 months

• Migrant

• Agricultural

• Intermittent Income

• Inconsistent or unstable employment or self-employment

If no documentation is available for any time period within the 2 to 12-months, have parent complete a Self-Certification of Income to ”fill-in” each of the gaps

NON-VERIFIABLE INCOME

If the income cannot be independently verified, assess whether the reported income is reasonable or consistent with community practice for the employment.

Self-Certification of Income is allowed only if documentation is not possible.

Common examples include the following:

• Employer refuses to provide employment documentation

• Contact of an employer would adversely affect parent’s employment

• Non-employment income that is informal

• Guardian who receives zero income for care of the child

• Parent receives zero income

• Parent has fluctuating income & no documentation is available for specific time periods within the 12-months (fill-in the gaps)

GUARDIAN/FOSTER PARENT

A foster parent or guardian’s income is not counted. For the purpose of determining income eligibility and family fees, only the child’s & child’s related siblings income will be used to determine income eligibility

NOTE: If the child has zero income, the guardian can complete a Self-Certification of Income form declaring that they receive no income to care for the child

Examples of Child Income:

• CalWORKs cash aid

• Child disability benefits that are not SSI/SSP benefits

• Child support, if received by
  the guardian

• Survivor benefits

• Foster care grants, payments or clothing allowance (non-countable income)

• Financial assistance received for the care of a child living with an adult who is not the child’s biological or adoptive parent

EMPLOYMENT INCOME

STEP 1: Employed parents MUST provide a written authorization to release employment information. The release CAN NOT be generic. It must include the specific employer’s name, address, telephone number & usual business hours

STEP 2: Employed parents MUST provide proof of employment income, such as:

• Payroll check stubs, or

• Independently drafted letter from the employer

• Other record of wages issued by the employer

STEP 3: Once parent has provided a release for authorization AND proof of income, move forward with the verification. As applicable, verify wages, rate of pay, potential for overtime, tips or additional compensation, hours & days of work, pay periods, rate of pay & start date 

NOTES:

• Authorization to release information is typically included on an agency’s Employment Verification form

• In addition, Staff typically document how income was verified on the Employment Verification form

SELF-EMPLOYMENT INCOME

STEP 1: Parent provides a combination of documentation necessary to establish income, including business revenue & expenses.

STEP 2: Staff must verify documentation provided to ensure the business is legitimate. This may include, but not limited to reviewing a parent’s advertisements or if appropriate contacting clients.

STEP 3: Staff calculate self-employment income

• Regular & steady revenue: Total revenue minus business expenses from either month of the 2-month window immediately preceding certification

• Inconsistent revenue: Average the total revenue minus expenses from preceding 2 to 12 months

NOTE: Wage draw is NOT an expense (Business owner takes funds out of business for personal use)

What this might look like in practice:

Knowing what documentation is required for a self-employed parent can be overwhelming as there are many differences from one business type to another.

The Declaration of Self-Employment/Income form is a great source to determine what a parent should provide based on their type of business.

Step back & think, for this type of business what should I request in order to verify the following:

1. Legitimate business

2. Records of revenue

3. Records of expenses

Examples:

In addition to documentation of income, the file must contain an income calculation worksheet

Worksheet must specify the frequency & amount of pay for each source of income

When a family is certified as “Income Eligible”:

• Contractors must notify parents at the time of initial certification & at recertification of their income threshold, based on their family size

• Contractors must inform the family of the requirement to report within 30 days if their income exceeds this dollar amount

• When parent reports that their income exceeds the exit threshold, this triggers the contractor to recertify the family. The contractor must then re-determine the family’s ongoing eligibility for child care services

This sample notification form may be used to meet this requirement.

After reviewing the video lesson & sketch pad notes, it’s time to check for understanding by completing a Knowledge Check. Note that Individual Knowledge Checks will conclude with a Certificate.

Individual Knowledge Check (ProProfs) >

Group Knowledge Check (Kahoot!) >