Paying for child care

The federally funded Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) provides financial assistance to eligible families who are working, searching for employment, in training or in an educational activity and need childcare services to support their efforts to achieve and/or maintain self-sufficiency.

CCCAP is administered in Weld County through the Department of Human Services (DHS). Families enrolled in CCCAP are required to pay a portion of their childcare costs, called the parental fee. The amount you pay is based on your gross income and the number of people in your household.

Income Eligibility Guidelines(PDF, 173KB)

To apply for CCCAP, parents must complete an application and provide information about their income and work or training program. Applications and redetermination forms can be can be found on the Colorado Department of Early Childhood website.

In order for a childcare provider to accept and receive CCCAP payments, they must be contracted with DHS. To become contracted with DHS, the family receiving CCCAP must request an enrollment packet from their case manager. The family and childcare provider complete the packet together and submit the completed packet back to the case manager. Call (970) 400-6017 or email HS-CCCAP@weldgov.com for more information.

Although tax credits don’t provide immediate assistance with paying for child care, they do reduce the amount of tax owed and help to maximize your refund, which can be set aside for expenses like child care to be used throughout the year. Talk with an accountant or visit the IRS website to learn if the following tax credits could help you.

• Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit: This credit is available to people who are paying for child care to allow them to work or look for work. The credit amount is a percentage based on your adjusted gross income as well as the amount of work-related child and dependent care expenses you paid to a care provider.
• Earned Income Tax Credit: This credit is a benefit for working people with low to moderate income. The amount of the tax credit varies depending on your level of income and how many dependents you support.

For a "one-stop shop" to learn about tax credits, how to file, and free tax help, visit Get Ahead Colorado/Hacia Adelante Colorado.

Additional assistance may be available from your child care provider. Families are encouraged to ask their provider if they offer any of the following options.

• Sliding Fee Scale: Some providers may offer fees based on a sliding scale, which uses an income-based system to determine costs.
• Negotiable Fees: Some providers may be willing to negotiate fees on a case-by-case basis.
• Multi-Child Discounts: Some providers offer fee reductions to families with more than one child enrolled in their care.

You may qualify for child care assistance options based on where you work or go to school. Ask your employer or school to see if you might be eligible for any of the following benefits.

• On-Site Child Care or Discounts: Your employer or school may have an on-site child care center or offer discounts through certain child care programs.
• Child Care Vouchers or Reimbursements: Your employer may offer a child care allowance or subsidy that families can use toward a child care arrangement of their choice.
• Employer Assisted Dependent Care/Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Your employer may allow employees to put a portion of each paycheck into a special fund for child care. The money placed in this fund isn’t taxed and can only be used toward the cost of child care.
• Benefit Package: Your employer may allow employees to choose from a variety of benefits to customize their benefit package. For instance, you may be able to choose a child care benefit instead of health insurance.