Georgia Child Care Assistance: CAPSHello parents! Below you will find information about the Georgia Child Care Assistance Program, where to find out if a Georgia child care facility is licensed, and where to report violations or file a complaint. The Department of Human Resources, Division of Family and Children Services is responsible for administering the Georgia Child Care Assistance Program is called CAPS which stands for Childcare and Parent Services. The CAPS program helps Georgia families pay for early childhood and school age care programs and is available in all counties. Children from birth to age 13 are eligible for Georgia child care assistance. If the child has special needs, then services are available until the age of 18. In order to qualify, families must meet income requirements and need child care to work, attend school, or participate in training. Families may choose their own child care providers. Most eligible families are required to pay a portion of the child care fee to supplement the fee that CAPS will cover. Your portion is determined by the number of family members and the amount of income that is earned. The Georgia child care assistance program has a few work requirements in order to meet eligibility. The responsible adult or parent must work, attend a job training program or attend GED or high school classes. In a single parent family, the adult is required to participate in work activities for an average of 30 hours per week. In two parent families, each adult is required to participate in work activities for an average of 30 hours per week. Adults who are exclusively attending college to earn a four year degree or graduate degree are not eligible for Georgia child care assistance. Adults attending college and working may qualify if they meet the above requirements. Adults attending technical school or job training programs may qualify because these are considered work activities that lead to a specific career or certificate and are of limited duration (i.e. 12 months). To apply for CAPS, call or visit county DFCS office to make an appointment with the child care worker. When you make the appointment, the worker will tell you the what documents you will need to bring to the meeting to help them determine your eligibility. In the event that you do not meet the eligibility requirements for the Georgia child care assistance program, you may still qualify for a childcare scholarship. To find out if this an option for you, contact your local childcare resource and referral agency and ask the consultant to help you locate childcare providers that have scholarship funds available. If you would like to find out if an Georgia child care facility is licensed or has any complaints filed against them, please contact Bright From The Start Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning,br>10 Park Place South, Suite 600 Atlanta, GA 30303 Phone: 404-463-0704 If you would like to file a complaint or report a violation: If possible, try to resolve minor concerns and complaints with the child care provider or director of the child care center. If you believe that physical or sexual abuse is involved, you are advised to inform local law enforcement. However, if you have concerns about the facility that cannot be resolved comfortably with the child care provider or director, you may file a complaint with: Bright From The Start Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning 10 Park Place South, Suite 600 Atlanta, GA 30303 Phone: 404-463-0704 For information on reporting suspected abuse, call Prevent Child Abuse, Georgia's HELPLINE, toll-free: within the state of Georgia- 1-800-CHILDREN out of state of Georgia- 404-870-6580 To make a child abuse report, call your county's Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS). Read more about Georgia Child Care Licensing Requirements Return to Home Page from Georgia Child Care Assistance
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