The Child Care Delivery System in Los Angeles County
The Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles represents agencies that collectively provide child care and early education information and services. Through the Child Care Resource and Referral program, parents can receive child care referrals and information on how to choose quality child care. The General Alternative Payment Program provides subsidies in the form of vouchers for low-income, working families. The CalWORKs Child Care program provides support to families participating in welfare to work programs. Collectively, the 13 agencies in Los Angeles County that comprise the Child Care Alliance serve over 65,000 children on annual basis.
Child Care Resource and Referral Programs
Ten of the 13 Alliance agencies in Los Angeles County provide Resource and Referral (R&R ) services, including FREE child care referrals to families, FREE trainings, and FREE referrals to community resources. Each agency has trained staff available to answer your child care questions 1-888-62-92-CHILD.
Resource and Referral services are part of the existing child care system in the State California. Each year, the State Department of Education contracts with the 10 Resource and Referral agencies in L.A. County to provide the core resource and referral services. These services are: child care referrals, data collection, provider training and technical assistance, and consumer education. R&R agencies provide information, referral services and support to anyone in need of childcare regardless of income. On average, R&R agencies in Los Angeles County receive over 12,000 calls a month from parents and families seeking information and\or referrals.
Alternative Payment
The Child Development Division of the California Department of Education provides child care and development
services for children through age 12 in low-income (non-welfare) families and those at abuse or neglect. Alternative Payment Programs subsidize
child care provided primarily in private child care settings, including child care centers, family child care homes and in-home care.
Agencies who administer these programs locally are referred to as Alternative Payment (AP) Agencies. In LA County there are 13 separate agencies
(AP) providing services to these families.
CalWORKs Child Care
In 1997 the State's new welfare system, CalWORKs, was established with time limits and work requirements. To assist parents transition
from welfare to work, a three-stage child care system was established.
CalWORKs STAGE 1
Provides recipients with initial child care while establishing their ongoing child care needs. When the need is determined to be
“stable” and there are available spaces, children are transferred to Stage 2. County social services departments administer this stage. of the 58 counties in California, 32 have contracted with Alternative Payment Agencies to administer Stage 1. In L.A. County, DPSS contract with the 13 APs for the provision of this service.
CalWORKs STAGE 2
Assists families while on welfare and engaged in stable work activities. Families remain eligible for one to two years after losing eligibility
for cash aid. The California Department of Education (CDE) administers State 2 through Alternative Payment agencies.
CalWORKs STAGE 3
Supports families as they transition off aid and provides subsidized child care until the family no longer meets eligibility requirements.
CDE administers Stage 3 through Alternative Payment Agencies. Currently enrollment is limited to former CalWORKs Stage 1 and 2 recipients who have reached the of
their two year limit.
