Child Care Assistance Program
CDRV offers comprehensive childcare assistance to support families across different needs and stages. Whether you’re determining if you qualify for childcare assistance in California or seeking subsidized childcare solutions, our variety of programs are designed to provide help with financial relief and professional care. From the California Alternative Payment Program (CAPP) to the multifaceted CalWORKs stages, each program is tailored to ease the burden of childcare costs and ensure your children receive excellent care while you pursue employment and educational goals.
Children remain eligible until their thirteenth (13th) birthday. Children identified as having exceptional needs must have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and the child needs the special care of an adult in a child care setting, as documented by a qualified professional in a written statement, up to the age of their 21st birthday.
Subsidized Child Care Options
California Alternative Payment Program (CAPP)
- Funded by CDSS, Alternative Payment Programs (APP) reimburse for Child Care costs for qualifying parents with children ages 0 to 12.
- Child care needs must be established before a childcare subsidy is approved. There are very specific requirements to prove the need for Child Care, and there are very clear limits on when Child Care services may be reimbursed. CDR must document that each parent in the family meets a need criterion that precludes the provision of care and supervision of the family’s child for some part of the day, including:
- Employment or seeking employment.
- Vocational training leading directly to a recognized trade, para profession, or profession.
- Parental incapacity.
- Child’s exceptional needs.
- Seeking permanent housing for family stability.
- A written referral from a legally qualified professional from a legal, medical, or social services agency or emergency shelter for children at risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
A written referral from a county cash-aid department or child welfare services worker certifying that the child is receiving protective services and the family requires Child Care as part of the Family Maintenance Plan.
Family Child Care Home Education Network (CFCC)
The Family Child Care Home Education Network (FCCHEN) is a home-based environment for whom CDR provides ongoing training, professional development, and supportive technical assistance. FCCHEN environments combine the standards of first-rate child care centers with the personal touch and familiarity of a home environment. Child care costs are reimbursed for qualifying parents with children 0-5.
CalWORKs Stage One
Funded by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Stage One Child Care is for a family receiving CalWORKs cash aid, and the aided parent is employed or is participating in an approved Welfare-to-Work activity. Parents may receive Stage One Child Care until they are discontinued from CalWORKs cash aid or until determined to be stable by the Ventura County Human Services Agency (HSA).
In Ventura County, Stage One is administered by the HSA and is contracted with CDR to provide subsidized Child Care services. A CDR Parent Services Specialist (PSS) is located at four (4) different Community Service Centers (CSC) (Oxnard, Santa Paula, Ventura, and Simi Valley).
CalWORKs Stage Two
Funded by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), the CalWORKs Stage Two Program reimburses subsidized Child Care costs for parents when the County CalWORKs Department determines that the parent’s work or approved work-readiness activity is stable or the parent is transitioning off of CalWORKs cash assistance.
Parents remain eligible for services for up to twenty-four (24) months after they no longer receive or are eligible to receive CalWORKs cash assistance. The parent must also be income-eligible and have a qualifying need for services.
CalWORKs Stage Three
Funded by the CDSS, the CalWORKs Stage Three Program reimburses childcare costs if a parent is a former CalWORKs recipient of cash assistance and is referred in the twenty-fourth (24th) month of Stage Two Child Care. The twenty-fifth (25th) month is the only time that a former CalWORKs recipient may be enrolled in Stage Three.
Therefore, if Stage Three is terminated, the former CalWORKs recipient cannot be re-enrolled into this program. Children are eligible for services until their thirteenth (13th) birthday or are identified as having exceptional needs.
Early Head Start-Child Care Program
As part of President Obama’s Early Learning Initiative, Child Development Resources of Ventura County Inc. is participating in Early Head Start-Child Care (EHS-CC) Partnerships, which allows Early Head Start programs to partner with local Child Care centers, serving infants and toddlers from low-income families in need of financial assistance for child care.
Emergency Foster Child Care Bridge Program
The Bridge Program aims to increase the number of foster children successfully placed in home-based family care settings, increase the capacity of Child Care programs to meet the needs of foster children in their care and maximize funding to support the Child Care needs of eligible families.
CDR Eligibility Waiting List Application (CEWL)
Do you need help paying for child care?
Child Development Resources (CDR) maintains a list of eligible families for subsidized Child Care programs in Ventura County. This list is called the “Centralized Eligibility Waiting List” (CEWL). By signing up on the CEWL, your information is shared with subsidized Child Care programs that meet your specified needs when they have openings.
Child Development Resources – FAQs
- CDR Eligibility
- Child Care Assistance
- Family Child Care
- Head Start Programs
- Provider Contracts
- Provider Payments
- Provider Services
- Providers
- Stage One
- Subsidized Reimbursement for Providers Family and Parents
Parents are to contact their PSS to report any changes via phone, email, fax, or using the afterhours box. Providers are to contact their Contracts Specialist either by phone or email. Stage 1 Parents are to contact their assigned PSS and their CalWORKS case manager to report any changes via phone, email, fax, or using the afterhours box.
Yes, they can submit CCAS without a parent signature, they will need to note any absences such as family emergency, illness, COVID-19, and they will be paid as excused absences.
Yes, there are no changes to not less than 12-month eligibility at this time and reimbursement will be based on the authorization for services. Stage 1 parents must report changes to their CalWORKs case manager and there assigned CDR Specialist
Yes, providers have the choice to submit the attendance sheets through the Care Control Mobile (CCM) App, utilizing the CDR drop box, or by mail.
Yes. An alternate provider may be used but the assigned Specialist must be contacted prior to authorization.
Yes. Childcare services are still approved to use during this time. Families needing services are presumed to be essential workers (link to list per CDE, https://covid19.ca.gov/img/EssentialCriticalInfrastructureWorkers.pdf.) If the provider has served the groups listed in this link and still has space in their program per the group size guidelines, they should consider enrolling private paying essential workers at their discretion. When the state of emergency has been lifted, providers will be expected to resume serving all children receiving subsidies that are currently enrolled that may return to care therefore any arrangement with private paying parents should consider that requirement.
If parent is not available provider must write on the CCAS “Parent unavailable to sign Due to Covid-19”
Yes, the provider will be reimbursed for and excused absence when “Child did not attend due to Covid-19” is documented on the submitted CCAS.
Please contact Community Care Licensing because this only affects Small FCC’s and Exempt providers. Click here: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/child-care-licensing
Child Development Resources (CDR) cannot under any circumstances make this decision for you. This is a business decision each provider must make for themselves. CDR is here to support you in whatever decision you make.
During COVID-19 State of Emergency, Community Care Licensing will work with the Licensee’s closely. CPR certification will be review and/or extended, however, it’s important the Licensee’s communicate with their LPAs. https://emsa.ca.gov/childcare_provider1/
It’s on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the urgency need of day-care for essential employees.
Pop-up childcare or Operation of Temporary Employer Sponsored Child Care can also be found in the following PIN; PIN 20-04-CCP
The Child to caregiver ratio of no more that 10:1. You will find additional information on the PIN 20-06-CCP.
A Head Start/Early Head Start Waiting List and Enrollment Application. The documents highlighted below must be attached to expedite processing:
A) Child’s Birth Certificate
B) Proof of Family’s Gross Annual Income: 1040’s, W-2’s for every employment held, Income documentation of the last 12 months, Current Notice of Action for Cal Works/TANF Cash Aid
C) Child’s current Immunization Record.
D) For expected mothers, Proof of Pregnancy with expected delivery date.
Take or mail application with attached copies of documents to the nearest Head Start Center or the CDR Main office located at: 221 E. Ventura Blvd. Oxnard, CA 93036. (805) 485-7878. Fax: (805) 278-0485. TDD (805) 278-0855. To download a Head Start/Early Head Start Application or for locations of Head Start Centers, visit our website at www.cdrv.org
Head Start and Early Head Start programs welcome and encourage parents and families to get involved in their child’s education. You can find out more about getting involved by contacting the CDR Head Start department.
Eligibility is based on income, age of child and family size.
Child Development Resources also administers the Resource and Referral Programs. Contact this department to obtain assistance in locating other child care and/or preschool programs and services in your community. Contact them directly at 1(805) 485-7878 Ext. 1512.
Good news! When available, Head Start programs can enroll a limited number of children whose families are above the income guidelines. Complete the application process to be considered.
Yes, we do! We know that all children deserve Head Start. Our agencies are required to enroll a certain number of students with an individual education plan (IEP) or an individual family service plan (IFSP).
Yes, if any parent or sibling are receiving Supplemental Security Income family is income eligible. No other form of income documentation is required.
Yes, Families experiencing Homelessness are eligible, regardless of family income. Contact your local Head Start Center to find out more about eligibility.
Yes, children in foster care are eligible, regardless of family income. Contact your local Head Start Center to find out more about eligibility.
Yes, Families receiving TANF/CalWORKs are eligible, regardless of family income. Contact your local Head Start Center to find out more about eligibility.
Eligibility is based on family income, family size, and age of your child. Early Head Start is for children from birth to age three and pregnant mothers. Head Start is for children ages three to five years.
Click here to find the Head Start programs near you! You can also call us directly at 1-805-485-7878 Ext. 470.
Contact your assigned CDR Parent Services Specialist within 5 days at the Stage One offices listed on the Child Care assistance page.
Contact your assigned CDR Parent Services Specialist within 5 days at the Stage One offices listed on the Child Care assistance page.
Contact your assigned CalWORKs case manager. Call your assigned CalWORKs case manager at the Stage One offices listed on the Child Care assistance page.
Contact your assigned CalWORKs case manager. Call your assigned CalWORKs case manager at the Stage One offices listed on the Child Care assistance page.
Child Development Resources (CDR), Resource and Referral department maintains a database of licensed Family Child Care homes. Parents inquiring about licensed Child Care will be given a referral list of providers based on age, schedule, location, and other various circumstances. The parent may then choose to contact the Providers on their list. The Provider will make decisions whether to accept a child into care, based upon licensed capacity, as well as how the child would fit in with other children already in care.
Providers may wish to advertise in the local newspaper, online and inform local elementary schools that you have openings for Child Care.
Providers may also join a Child Care Association. Child Care referrals are also made by each Association.
Firearms and other dangerous weapons must be stored and locked during the hours that children are in care. Ammunition must be locked separately.
Swimming pools must be fenced with a five (5) foot fence made of material, which does not obscure the pool from view and has a self locking gate or is covered with an approved device.
Family Child Care providers must comply with the Title 2 Regulations which can be found at the link below:
Child Care Centers must comply with the Title 22 Regulations for centers which can be found here:
A small Family Child Care home may care for up to eight (8)
children, including your own children who are not yet 10 years old.
If a licensee would like to open a large Family Child Care home to
more than eight children, and up to 14, contact the licensing agency
for special instructions.
Babysitting is provided in the child’s residence, while Family Child Care is provided in the care giver’s residence. In addition, Family Child Care is usually regular care, while babysitting is usually on an irregular and short term basis. Providers may wish to include a program for children that develop their social, emotional, cognitive and physical skills.
The State Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing is the regulatory agency for Child Care.
Family Child Care is regularly provided care and supervision of a group of children in the home of a care giver while their parents are away. Usually, care is provided during the hours a parent works.
Contact Community Care Licensing at (805) 562-0400. You may contact Resource & Referral for assistance by calling (805) 485-7878 Ext. 1512.
Information on orientation meeting dates will be mailed to you. Orientation sessions are held in the following cities in Ventura County: Oxnard, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo.
There is a $25 registration fee to attend a licensing orientation meeting for Family Child Care, a $73 application fee for small Family Child Care Homes and $140 fee for a large Family Child Care license. Additional fees for fingerprinting/livescan, Tuberculosis tests, CPR, First Aid, and Health and Safety Training will also be incurred. Finally, a renewal fee to maintain a Family Child Care Home license will be owed on an annual basis to maintain your license
The fee is set by the individual Provider. Contact a local Child Care Association or Child Development Resources for their suggestions about basic charges, overtime charges, holidays, and holding rates for children who are home sick or on vacation.
Please allow 10 business days before reporting to the Provider Services Unit if a reimbursement has not yet been received. CDR must allow for any delays in the postal service, financial institutions and/or account denials prior to resubmitting a reimbursement to a provider.
Both parent and provider signatures are required in order to reimburse for childcare. CDR will make every attempt to contact and obtain the parent’s signature on a Child Care Attendance Sheet prior to reimbursement.
Please select the “SUPPORT” button at the bottom of the CarePortal for assistance.
Contact your assigned Provider Contracts Specialist for a password reset. If you are updating your email log-in, a request will need to be submitted in writing to the Provider Services Unit.
Please contact the Parent Services Specialist assigned to the parent/guardian noted on the Notice of Communication.
You can review your CCAS status on the provider’s CarePortal. Once the CCAS is scanned into the database the status of the CCAS will change to received.
If you have a question regarding the amount of the calculated reimbursement, contact Provider Services Unit at 805.485.7878 ext. 457. If you have a discrepancy regarding the child’s schedule/hours of care, contact the family/guardian’s CDR Parent Services Specialist listed on the Child Care Attendance Sheet or Notice of Communication.
CDR reimburses based on a provider’s preferred rate type and the Regional Market Rate set forth by the State. Please refer to your Provider Child Care Agreement for further explanation. To obtain a copy of the Regional Market Rate Ceiling visit the California Department of Education website at:
If your state/government identification is expired your agreement referral will be delayed or denied until valid identification is provided.
CDR’s Finance Department requires that your name match exactly on your state/government issued identification and your social security card for tax purposes. If your names do not match, your agreement request will be delayed or denied until the proper identification is obtained. Please call Provider Services at 805.485.7878 ext. 457 for further clarification.
You must submit your updated information in writing to the Provider Services Unit.
A provider rate change may happen once per fiscal year. A licensed provider must submit a typed updated provider contract 30 days prior to the first date of the rate change. An exempt provider may submit a typed rate sheet or submit an updated Child Care Questionnaire Form 30 days prior to the first date of the rate change. For further questions please contact your Provider Contracts Specialist.
Once you receive the Provider Agreement Packet from the parent/guardian, you will receive a call from an assigned Provider Contracts Specialist to set an appointment for an orientation. At that scheduled orientation is when you will turn in the Provider Agreement Packet. If you have not received a call within 48 hours of receiving the packet, please follow-up with the parent/guardian to ensure an agreement request was submitted.
A Fiscal Year for CDR is July 1 through June 30th
A Non-operational day is a day that a provider is closed for childcare
CDR may reimburse a licensed provider for a child absence when a valid provider’s personal contract specifies they charge for absences. For further clarification please refer to CDR’s Providers Guide or contact your Provider Contracts Specialist at 805.485.7878 ext. 457.
A licensed provider has 10 non-operational paid days per fiscal year to be reimbursed. These can either be defined as holidays, in-service days or vacation days. Any additional days will be considered closures and not paid according to agreement guidelines. All closures must be reported to CDR in writing 30 days prior to the first day of closure to be honored. Exempt providers do not get paid for closures.
Please print the <<ACH/Direct Deposit Form>> and submit to the Provider Services Unit Clerk as soon as possible. Please note, this process will not take place until the next service month and may take up to 30 days for processing.
CDR reimburses subsidized Child Care providers for care provided once a month. This will be processed the last business day of the next service month after the care was provided. Monies received will depend on your payment option and financial institution. For more information contact the Provider Service Unit at 805.485.7878 ext. 457.
CDR provides two options for receiving reimbursements:
Option 1: Direct Deposit/ACH – reimbursement is electronically deposited into to your personal savings/checking account.
Option 2 (When option #1 is not obtainable.): PayCard – reimbursement is electronically uploaded onto a CDR (prepaid) debit card.
Yes, you will need to be fingerprinted again to ensure your registration status.
Once the Agreement Request is received it takes approximately 4-6 weeks for approval depending on the agreement requirements by type or program. For Trustline applicants this process may take up to 120 days.
Once CDR receives the notification from your financial institution, a live check will be mailed out to the address on file. Please note: a check will not be available until the bank notification is received and a second method for reimbursements will be required.
This is CDR’s way of validating account information that was submitted for Direct Deposit/ACH. If this amount was deposited, you will receive a live check mailed out to you the last business day of the processing month. Your next reimbursement will be fully deposited into your account.
Only under certain circumstances will CDR print Child Care Attendance Sheets. It is recommended that a provider who has limited access to a printer seek one out from the following establishments: Local library, Job and Career Centers, local print shop, etc.
No. CDR requires that a CDR printed Child Care Attendance Sheet be submitted for reimbursement monthly.
The due date to submit Child Care Attendance Sheets for processing is the third business day of the following service month that childcare was provided. Please see CDR’s current Calendar of Child Care Attendance Sheet Due Dates here >>
Please refer to the guidelines given to you in your orientation packet for guidance. You may also call Provider Services at 805.485.7878 ext. 457.
Although CDR encourages providers to drop off Child Care Attendance Sheets in the designated drop box for timely processing, providers may mail CCAS to:
Child Development Resources
Attn: Provider Services Unit
221 E. Ventura Blvd.
Oxnard, CA 93036
Although CDR encourages providers to drop off Child Care Attendance Sheets in the designated drop box for timely processing, providers may mail CCAS to:
Child Development Resources
Attn: Provider Services Unit
221 E. Ventura Blvd.
Oxnard, CA 93036
Please see our Resource & Referral page by clicking here >>
Apply online at CEWL Application
You need to get in touch with your eligibility worker with the county and notify your worker that you are in need of Child Care. Your worker should refer you to the CalWORKs Stage One Child Care contractor for the county, or if you have to apply for the Eligibility Waiting List, to Child Development Resources.
You will be notified by phone or mail when funding becomes available. At that time your income, family size, and other information will be verified to assure that your family falls within the income rank we are currently enrolling. You will be asked to provide written documentation of your income; employment, school enrollment, and other information needed to determine eligibility for Child Care services. If we determine that your actual rank income puts your family higher than the ranks we are presently enrolling, your application will be returned to the Child Development Resources Eligibility Waiting List. You must have documented need for Child Care because you are working, seeking work, or attending school or training for all of the programs except for Head Start and State Preschool. If you do not have a valid need for Child Care at the time you are notified of enrollment, your application will be returned to the Child Development Resources Eligibility Waiting List unless you are being contacted by Head Start.
We cannot tell you how long you’ll have to wait on the Child Development Resources Eligibility Waiting List. When a person applies his/her name gets placed on a computerized waiting list. New families are enrolled when funding becomes available. This happens when families leave the program or when the agency receives new funds to expand the program. When we have openings (funding/money) available, the funding source requires us to enroll families starting with those with the lowest income.
Each applicant is responsible for keeping his or her application current. Failure to update will cause the family to be dropped from the Child Development Resources Eligibility Waiting List. You may call to update your information or to request an application whenever there’s a change in any of the following: Name, Address, Phone Number, Income, Marital Status, Family Size, Employment/Education.
Eligible families who are certified for the Alternative Payment Program (APP) may choose Child Care of their choice with a licensed Child Care center or Family Child Care home, or with an unlicensed adult such as a relative, friend or neighbor who will care for the parent’s children only. Or, eligible families may be enrolled by a specific Child Care center.
In APP all Child Care providers must complete an approval process with the appropriate Alternative Payment Program (APP) agency and receive a provider agreement before they can receive reimbursement for children in their care. Children in the same family can have different Child Care providers. Parents can change Child Care arrangements with prior approval by the Parent Services Specialist. Depending on the parents’ needs, children can receive services full-time or part-time, as well as in the evening, overnight or on weekends. This program does NOT reimburse private school tuition for children attending kindergarten or elementary school. Only before-and-after school childcare, as well as full-time during off-track, summer or holiday periods can be reimbursed.
In a Head Start or center-based program, your child will be enrolled in a specific center; in some cases the child must be three or four years old. When your name is next on the Child Development Resources Eligibility Waiting List, the agency will explain which of these programs you are being enrolled in.
Qualifying families with children ages 0-12 years must meet specific requirements, such as the need for child care and be income or categorically eligible.
Refer to the direction on the most recent Notice of Action. Refer to page 16 of the Parent Handbook.
A doctor note is required after 5 days of consecutive absences. Refer to page 12 of the Parent Handbook.
Both parent or provider document attendance. A parent’s signature/date is required verifying Child Care services were used at the end of the service month. The provider’s signature/date is required after the parent verifying all information on the Child Care Attendance Sheet is accurate prior to submitting to CDR.
Missing parent or provider signature may delay reimbursement or may be considered a non-reimbursement.
View sample Child Care Attendance Sheet
Refer to your assigned Parent Service Specialist noted on the most recent Notice of Action.
Clients are no longer required to report changes within 5 days.
Clients are required to report the following:
- Report an increase in income that exceed the exit threshold 85% of the SMI
- Request for the Family Fee to be re-assessed when there are changes in income
- Request an increase or decrease in Child Care services hours as needed
Clients voluntarily report the following changes:
- Phone number or address
- Request a change of provider
- Change in family size
- Changes to schedules for authorization of Child Care services
Child Care services are certified for 12 months, the duration of time Child Care services is certified will be noted on the Notice of Action and Notice of Communication provided to the client and provider.
Once eligibility and need are verified CDR’s decision to approve Child Care services will be communicated through a Notice of Communication and provided to the provider.
Once eligibility and need are verified CDR’s decision to approve or deny Child Care services will be communicated through a written statement referred to as Notice of Action and provided to the client.
Contact your assigned CDR Parent Services Specialist within 5 days. See the parent services page.
Contact your assigned CalWORKs case manager. Call your assigned CalWORKs case manager at the offices listed on the Child Care assistance page.
Contact your assigned CalWORKs case manager. Call your assigned CalWORKs case manager at the offices listed on the CalWORKs Locations page.
Contact the CalWORKs offices listed on the Child Care assistance page for eligibility information.