The purpose of the subsidized child day care program is to provide care for children for a portion of the day in the absence of the parent/caretaker. It is a support service to enable the parent/caretaker to hold a job and/or obtain training or education leading to employment. The program is also used to meet the special developmental needs of the child that would otherwise go unmet or to remove the child from a family situation where he/she may be in danger.

All licensed family day care homes, group day care homes, and day care centers are eligible for a contract to provide subsidized child day care service. The contract must be fully signed before the provider can begin to provide subsidized care.

The contracted fee for service is established by DHSS, published in the annual Social Services Block Grant Plan. The department reserves the right to withhold payment if the provider does not perform in accordance with the terms of the contract.

Eligibility is based on the financial and situational needs of the applicant for service and in accordance with DHSS established priorities for service.

Each eligible child's care must be authorized on the DSS Purchase of Child Day Care Authorization Form (Form 618d) which the provider will receive from the Division upon initial enrollment and each subsequent change and/or redetermination. The provider should request to see the DSS Client Payment Agreement Form (Form 601b) from the parent/caretaker on the first day of attendance if they have not received Form 618d by mail.

The provider should notify the child's caretaker in writing the month before the form expires to be redetermined eligible for services. Payment cannot be made after the expiration date unless a new form has been issued.

Need for service codes are listed on Form 618d.

Reimbursement is monthly as indicated on the Day Care Contract (Compensation, Method of Payment, and Collection of Fee sections). Complete records must be retained by the provider for a period of three years, listing each child's daily attendance, accurately stating the number of authorized days present by type, and the number of absent days. These records will be monitored on a regular basis.

Payment will be made only for the number of days and type of authorization indicated on individual Form 618d and in accordance with absent day policy. Reimbursement rates differ for children under the age of two and children two years of age and older.

10 DE Reg. 564 (09/01/06)

DSS pays for up to five absent days per month. The number of paid absent days per month is the same as the number of days authorized for care in one week (up to a maximum of five days per month). The specific number of paid absent days is indicated on each child's Authorization Form.

Payment may be made for the major holidays listed in the contract for any child who attended at least one day during the month.

No payment is made to a provider for a holiday that occurs before the start date of the authorization at that provider’s site.

13 DE Reg. 100 (07/01/09)

The client fee is based on the DSS scale according to the client's income. The provider is responsible for collecting fees from their private and DSS fee-paying clients. The provider must develop a fee collection policy that states the fees collected prior to or after delivery of service and the frequency of collection, such as weekly, biweekly, or monthly. The provider's fee collection policy should be discussed with the parent/caretaker upon initial enrollment at the facility and should be reviewed periodically.

The provider must ensure that enrollment procedures include how the provider informs parent/caretakers of the availability of purchase of care slots for non-fee paying clients.

8 DE Reg. 1153 (02/01/05)

A client may be denied service or terminated from service if notice is received from the provider that the client has failed to pay the assessed fee for service. Provider notice must be written and a copy forwarded to the Food Stamp Employment & Training Case Manager. Service may be authorized if:

A. the client submits written documentation that arrangements have been made with the provider to pay fees due the provider; or

B. the Unit Supervisor has determined, based on case review, that care should not be denied.

The provider will be paid at the current rate of payment for those normal hours of operation during which the provider is closed because of conditions which result in an officially-declared "state of emergency" by the Governor, if the emergency restricts or prohibits travel in the vicinity of the provider.

The provider may be paid for approved absent days for emergency closing caused by fire, flood, health, or safety hazard determined by the Office of Child Care Licensing. Consideration will be given to each individual case based on relocation, rehabilitation, or permanent closing of the provider.

If the site the child(ren) attends is closed and care is offered at an alternate site within the same organization, payment will be made only for those children who attended the alternate site. The provider should attach a memorandum listing the children and the alternate site they attended.

Repealed 10 DE Reg. 564 (09/01/06)

Providers should contact the Child Care Monitor if a payment error is suspected on the site payment statement, of if additional information is needed regarding the transaction listed on the statement.

DSS must be informed no later than 60 days after the first statement was sent.

EXAMPLE: The October attendance report is submitted in November for payment. Upon reconciling provider records with the DSS site payment statement, the provider determines that an error was made. The provider must notify the monitor no later than January 30 that an error was made.

The following information is needed:

A. provider name,

B. provider identification number or EIN/Social Security number,

C. child(ren)'s name and identification numbers,

D. dollar amount of the suspected error, and

E. a description of the error or payment is question and a clear explanation of why an error is believed to have occurred or why additional information is needed.

DSS will investigate the complaint and correct any error. The corrected payment will be included in the following month's payment.

If a provider fails to notify DSS of an error or problem within the 60 day time frame, the provider may be subject to loss of payment.

Providers may terminate a child(ren) for the following reasons.

A. The parent/caretaker frequently abuses/disregards operating policy of the facility (hours, etc.).

B. The parent/caretaker fails to pay the established fee or is frequently late with payment.

Five calendar days notice must be given to the parent/caretaker and the DSS Case Manager. Termination MUST be in writing and a copy sent to the Case Manager.

Client Complaints

Clients may make a complaint when they believe a facility is not meeting the licensing regulations or the provisions of the DSS contract. When a client makes a complaint to a Case Manager, the Case Manager will complete a Client Provider Complaint Form (Form 633). The Case Manager will forward the complaint to the Office of Child Care Licensing with a copy to the Child Care Monitor. Licensing will send results of the investigation to the Child Care Administrator.

Provider Complaints

Providers may make complaints regarding clients to the Case Manager. The complaint should be in writing.

Clients will send provider complaints regarding DSS provider contracts or payments process to their Case Manager. The Case Manager will send the complaint to the Child Care Administrator.

10 DE Reg. 1826 (06/01/07)