Early Childhood Programs and Services

CONTACT INFORMATION: Our office is open 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday
703-324-8100 TTY 711
12011 Government Center Parkway, Suite 920
Fairfax, VA 22035
Lloyd Tucker
NCS Director

New Income Eligibility and Legislative Actions Increase Child Care Access and Affordability

Temporary Expanded Childcare Eligibility

As the County economy recovers, access to affordable, quality child care is key to ensuring that the workforce required to support all industries and sectors is available. In order to provide child care financial assistance to additional working families with children birth to age twelve, a number of updates to the child care subsidy program have been made which will benefit both families and child care programs. At the state level, as a result of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, Virginia received $203.6 million in stimulus funds to further stabilize Virginia’s early childhood care and education system, provide child care assistance to additional families and to deliver critical operational and technical resources to new and returning child care providers. In addition, the Commonwealth will receive approximately $794 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to further stabilize child care and support families.

This additional federal funding as well as legislative actions from the 2021 General Assembly have provided Virginia with the opportunity to make a number of updates to the state child care subsidy program which benefit both families and child care programs throughout the state. 
At the County level, effective February 1, the eligibility limit for the local child care subsidy was increased to 350 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. This provides access to affordable child care for additional families.

Please inform families about this expanded access to child care subsidies! 
For additional information and to apply for child care assistance, visit: Office for Children Child Care Assistance & Referral program.

Item Description Time Period
Absence Days

Child Care Subsidy providers may request payment for up to 180 days of absence for children receiving child care assistance.

Programs must be open and available to serve children. (Programs that must temporarily close due to a COVID-19 outbreak may be paid during the required closure period. However, families must authorize their use of absences).

March 18 – May 31, 2021. 
(A new 180 days will start from June 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021)
Co-Payment Waiver Families’ co-payments will be waived. Co-payment amounts will be automatically included in provider payments for this period. If the co-payment for April was already paid, the program should work with the family to refund or provide credit. April, May and June 2021 service period.

 

 

Item Description Time Period
Increase in Household Eligibility to 85% of the State Median Income (SMI) Families with at least one child who is not yet kindergarten eligible and other children in the family who are 13 or younger. Families will be eligible for 12 months or until family reaches 85% of the SMI.  Applications received by July 31, 2021
Job Search Activities are a Qualifying Category All families enrolled or applying for child care subsidy program. Applications received by July 31, 2021
Department of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) All families enrolled or applying for the child care subsidy program will not need to apply through DCSE. Income amount received for child support will still be counted.  PERMANENT

 

UPDATE Newsletter - Spring 2021 Issue
Fairfax Virtual Assistant