DENVER — New rules adopted by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) this summer aim to increase access to critical child care subsidies for low-income families and child care providers.
CDEC has adopted new rules for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP), putting stronger financial safeguards in place to proactively manage spending and creating processes to enroll families from waitlists and lift enrollment freezes in order to make sure as many eligible families and child care providers as possible have access to the CCCAP. The rules take effect in August.
As of this spring, nearly 14,000 children in Colorado were on waitlists or subject to enrollment freezes for CCCAP, which provides subsidized child care for families with low incomes.
The Colorado Children’s Campaign advocated for the rules throughout the review process. The changes give the state a more sustainable way to manage CCCAP’s budget while continuing to prioritize the families who need help most.
“With these changes, we’re putting CCCAP on stronger financial footing so that kids can keep learning, parents can keep working, and child care businesses can keep their doors open,” said Heather Tritten, President and CEO of the Colorado Children’s Campaign. “For too long, families and providers have faced uncertainty about whether this program can keep its promises. This is an important step toward stabilizing access to child care in Colorado.”
Reliable child care allows parents to pursue jobs and career growth that can enhance their economic stability and gives children a foundation for lifelong success through quality early learning.
The rules focus on protecting Colorado’s most at-risk families first, ensuring the program’s limited resources reach those who need them most urgently, including unhoused families and those who participate in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The new fiscal framework is also expected to shore up the broader child care sector: Many providers rely on CCCAP reimbursements simply to remain in operation.
“Child care is core infrastructure that our whole state depends on,” Tritten said. “When we invest in getting it right, everyone benefits.”
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About the Colorado Children’s Campaign
At the Colorado Children’s Campaign, we use data and research to identify what kids across our state need most, then advocate for policies that strengthen their well-being and help them thrive. Our focus is the whole child, working across Early Childhood, K-12 Education, Health, and Economic Security for the greatest long-term impact.