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Supporting Families Experiencing Homelessness: Child Care Policies

Ending Early Childhood Homelessness — Starts with Policies that Make a Difference

Ensuring the early learning and development of our country’s youngest children is essential to Child Care Services Association’s (CCSA) work. Supporting the well-being of these young children and their families is an urgent task and one that is critical to improving the long-term educational outcomes of children nationwide.

Access to high-quality child care is a key work support for parents. It also helps support healthy child development, which is important for all children, but of critical importance to young children in families experiencing homelessness.

Child Care Services Association reviewed the FY2022-2024 Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) State Plans to see policies and strategies across states to better support the needs of families with young children experiencing homelessness.

Child Care Policies Support Families

States that Prioritize Child Care Subsidy Receipt for Children Experiencing Homelessness

Note: The map reflects states that indicated that they prioritize enrollment in child care subsidy programs for families with children experiencing homelessness (Section 3.3.2. of their FY2022-2024 CCDF State Plan).

FY2022-2024 CCDF State Plans — Supporting Families Experiencing Homelessness

Early Childhood Homelessness: A Look at CCDF State Policies for 2022-2024

CCDF State Plan Homeless Policy Excerpts Compilation – All States (alphabetical order)
CCDF State Plan Protective Services Definitions by State

*For the best ability to read the chart, please increase page size to 150%

Select Topical Summaries

Section 1.4, Coordination with Partners to Expand Accessibility and Continuity of Care
Section 3.3.2, Identify how the Lead Agency will prioritize or target child care services for children and families experiencing homelessness (State by State Table)
Section 3.3.5, Lead Agencies are required to expend CCDF funds to (1) permit the enrollment (after an initial eligibility determination) of children experiencing homelessness while required documentation is obtained, (2) provide training and technical assistance to child care providers and the appropriate Lead Agency (or designated entity) staff on identifying and serving homeless children and families and (3) conduct specific outreach to homeless families (658E(c)(3); 98.51). (State by State Outreach Strategy Table)
Section 3.3.5, Increasing access for Vulnerable Children and Families, state descriptions of procedures used to support enrollment of children experiencing homelessness (State by State Descriptions)
Section 3.3.6, Lead Agencies table showing state grace periods that allow children experiencing homelessness to receive child care subsidy while providing families with reasonable time to take steps to comply with immunization and other health and safety requirements (State by State Table)
Section 3.3.6, Lead Agency descriptions of state grace periods that allow children experiencing homelessness to receive child care subsidy while providing families with a reasonable time to take steps to comply with immunization and other health and safety requirements (State by State Descriptions)
Section 3.3.6, Lead Agency descriptions of grace periods for priority groups beyond families experiencing homelessness (State by State Table)
Section 4.1.6, Child care services available through grants or contracts (State by State Table)
Section 6.2.5, Lead Agency descriptions of training and technical assistance (TA) to providers and appropriate Lead Agency (or designated entity) staff on identifying and serving children and families experiencing homelessness.

Graphic with pictures of teachers and children

CCSA Releases Validated Tool for Homeless Shelters to Provide Positive Environments for Young Children Post-COVID-19

CCSA Risk of Homelessness Data Snapshot featuring a photo of a Black woman and baby boy

A Data Snapshot of Young Children at Risk of Homelessness in North Carolina

Homelessness Among Infants, Toddlers, Preschool and School-Age Children in Orange County, Durham County and “Balance of State” Continuums of Care, FY 2021

An image of a young boy with the blog title overlaid

An Invisible Crisis: CCSA Releases a Primer on Early Childhood Homelessness

Young girl sits at desk with a crayon and paper

Facilitating Access to Early Care and Education for Children Experiencing Homelessness

FY2022-2024 CCDF State Plans

See all of our reports and materials related to families with children experiencing homelessness.