Child Care Resource & Referral

Serving Southeastern Minnesota

Financial aid for child care

Paying for child care can be difficult as you look for a job, go to work or go to school to prepare for work. Child Care Assistance programs can help make quality child care affordable for families with low incomes.

Child Care Assistance (CCA) programs help families pay for child care costs for all children age 12 and younger, and for special needs children through age 14. The child care being used must be pre-approved and the parent must be working 20 or more hours per week at minimum wage or higher, job searching or going to school. There is no limit on how long a family may receive Child Care Assistance as long as the family income is within the program limits for the family's size and the child is age-eligible.

Help is available from the following Child Care Assistance programs:

  • MFIP/DWP Child Care is for families who receive assistance from the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) or Diversionary Work Program (DWP).  MFIP is the current cash assistance program that a family may use for up to 60 months (5 years) if eligible. MFIP and DWP families are eligible for Child Care Assistance immediately and are not placed on a waiting list. They will be assigned an Employment Services counselor to help with job skills and job placement.
  • Transition Year Child Care Assistance is available to families for a full year after their MFIP or DWP case closes.  If there is a waiting list for the Basic Sliding Fee Child Care Program, you may get help from this program for more than a year.
  • Basic Sliding Fee requires that a family be at or below 47% of the State Median Income to be eligible for Child Care Assistance.  In some counties there is a waiting list for this program.

Child Care Assistance in Olmsted County is available through Child Care Resource and Referral. Please call (507) 529-4637 or email to determine your eligibility. If you do not live in Olmsted County,  please click here for contact information.

Click here for a copy of the Child Care Assistance 2012-2013 proposed program plan.