As part of the Coronavirus relief package passed by Congress in December, Governor Lamont has dedicated $8 million to paying Care 4 Kids family fees for new and existing families who receive child care subsidies (Care4Kids) beginning April 1, 2021 , until Sept. 30 , 2021 . This relief will help hard – working families and their child care programs as well.
Currently, approximately 15,000 C onnecticut families receive child care subsidies. All of these families will have the parent share of the payment waived.
In Connecticut, families qualify for Care4Kids if they make less than 50% of the State Median Income (SMI) . See income levels here: https://uwc.211ct.org/connecticut-state-median-income-2013/ . For a family of two, that income threshold is $41,000 ; and for a family of four, that income threshold is $60,300 per year.
Child care programs will benefit as we ll. Care 4 Kids will pay family fees directly to pro vider s . T his will help with enrollment, which has been a challenge due to COVID-19. Additionally, many programs do not c ollect the parent fee when families cannot afford to pay it, forgoing critical income. This income will benefit all providers.
Connecticut’s children will also benefit in important ways. This helps families choose high – quality, licensed child care, by making it more affordable. Children get the benefit of a consistent child care setting, adding structure and routine for children – who have had so many disruptions to their routines during COVID-19. This is especially critical after a year of families needing to make various arrangements as their child care may have closed for periods of time or because their job schedules changed.