Child Care Works in Pennsylvania: Subsidized Childcare for Relative Caregivers

If you're raising a grandchild and need childcare so you can work or attend training, Pennsylvania's Child Care Works (CCW) program can cover most of the cost. But CCW has different rules from Child-Only TANF — your household income counts, there's a work requirement, and you apply through a different agency entirely.

How Child Care Works Operates

CCW is a subsidized childcare program managed regionally by Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRCs) under the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL). It's not run by your County Assistance Office, so getting approved for TANF or SNAP doesn't automatically enroll you.

The program pays a childcare provider directly on your behalf. You pay a weekly co-payment based on your household income and size. For lower-income families, the co-payment can be very small.

Income Eligibility

Unlike Child-Only TANF, CCW counts the full household's income — yours and the child's. The entry threshold is 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. For a two-person household (you and one grandchild), that's $43,280 in annual income under the May 2026 guidelines.

Once enrolled, you can stay in the program as long as your income doesn't exceed the exit threshold (currently set higher than the entry limit to prevent families from cycling in and out).

Your co-payment is calculated on a sliding scale. The less you earn, the less you pay.

The Work or Training Requirement

To qualify for CCW, you need to show that you need childcare because of work, education, or training. The typical requirement is 20 hours per week of work activity, or 10 hours of work plus 10 hours of training or education.

This requirement is where many older kinship caregivers hit a wall. If you're retired or on disability and not working, you may not meet the activity threshold. Exemptions exist for disability, but there is no automatic age-based exemption for older relatives.

If the work requirement doesn't fit your situation, other childcare options include:

• Head Start and Pre-K programs (free, income-based, no work requirement)
• The Caregiver Support Program (if you're 55+, CSP reimburses childcare costs up to $600/month without a work requirement)

How to Apply

1. Find your ELRC. Pennsylvania has regional Early Learning Resource Centers that serve specific counties. Call the ELRC helpline or search online for the center covering your county.
2. Request an application. The ELRC will walk you through the eligibility screening and paperwork.
3. Provide income and work documentation. Bring proof of employment or training enrollment, household income records, and the child's identity documents.
4. Choose a childcare provider. You can use a licensed center, a registered family childcare home, or in some cases a relative provider — though relative providers must complete background checks and CareCheck clearance requirements.

Relative Provider Rules

If another family member watches the child, they may be able to get paid through CCW. Pennsylvania's relative-provider category includes a grandparent, great-grandparent, aunt, uncle, or sibling; a cousin or family friend must qualify through a different provider pathway. Relative providers must:

• Complete CareCheck, which requires State Police and child abuse clearances
• Complete the required federal criminal history clearance
• Not live in the same household as the child

You cannot pay yourself through CCW. The childcare provider must be someone other than the child's primary caregiver.

CCW and Other Benefits

Receiving CCW does not affect your eligibility for Child-Only TANF, SNAP, or Medical Assistance. These programs are independent — getting one doesn't disqualify you from others.

However, getting approved for Child-Only TANF does not automatically qualify you for CCW. The programs use different eligibility criteria, different agencies, and different applications. You need to apply for CCW separately through your ELRC.

For a complete overview of every financial program available to PA kinship caregivers — including how CCW fits alongside TANF, SNAP, and CHIP — the Pennsylvania Kinship Financial Help Guide maps the whole system.

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