IA HF2514

Children of child care workers become eligible for Iowa's state child care assistance program if their parent, guardian, or custodian works at least 32 hours per week at a licensed child care facility or home that accepts state reimbursement.

Eligible workers must have a primary duty of providing direct child care to children and be regularly counted in the minimum child-to-staff ratio; substitutes, assistants, and facility owners are excluded.

Workers at child care homes or child development homes cannot provide care to their own child while receiving assistance, though co-providers at child development homes may qualify if they meet all requirements.

Directors, co-directors, and administrative staff at child care facilities may qualify if they are regularly counted in the minimum child-to-staff ratio.

The Department of Health and Human Services must submit an annual report to the General Assembly by December 1, detailing program costs, number of participating families and children, and income distribution of participants across federal poverty level brackets (160% to 250%+).