Kentucky Child Care Assistance (CCAP) for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

Childcare is one of the biggest expenses grandparents raising grandchildren did not plan for. Kentucky's Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) subsidizes childcare costs, but the eligibility rules trip up kinship caregivers in two specific ways: the work requirement and the income calculation. Understanding both can mean the difference between a $0 childcare bill and full price.

Income Limits

CCAP eligibility under 922 KAR 2:160 is based on family gross income:

• Initial application: income must be at or below 160% of the Federal Poverty Level
• Annual recertification: eligibility extends up to 200% FPL (or 85% of State Median Income)

The higher recertification threshold matters. If your income is between 160% and 200% FPL, you would not qualify on a new application, but once approved, you can stay in the program at renewal.

The K-TAP Income Exclusion

Here is the detail that makes the biggest difference for kinship caregivers: K-TAP child-only payments and legacy Kinship Care Program payments are explicitly excluded from countable family gross income when DCBS calculates CCAP eligibility. This is written directly into 922 KAR 2:160 Section 8(4)(a)–(b).

If a grandparent receives $372 per month in K-TAP child-only cash for one grandchild, that $372 does not count toward the CCAP income limit. Other countable family income is still evaluated under CCAP rules.

Work Requirements

Standard CCAP eligibility requires work activity:

• Single caregivers: average of 20 hours per week of work, or full-time enrollment in an accredited college or trade school
• Two-adult households: combined average of 40 hours per week, with at least 5 hours for the second adult

Documented physical or mental incapacity may exempt a caregiver from the work requirement.

DCBS Placement Bypass

If DCBS placed the child with you as a relative caregiver through a child welfare intervention, the work requirement and income limit do not apply. Under 922 KAR 2:160 Section 5, children placed with relatives by DCBS child welfare receive direct CCAP authorization without regard to family income or caregiver work hours.

This bypass exists because the state recognizes that placing a child with a relative is cheaper than institutional foster care, and removing the childcare barrier keeps that placement stable.

Recertification

CCAP requires annual recertification. You must report changes within 10 calendar days, including dropping below 20 work hours per week or changing student status. Failing to report can leave you liable for childcare tuition that was subsidized during a period when you were not eligible.

How to Apply

Apply through kynect.ky.gov or at your local DCBS office. If the child was placed by DCBS, ask your caseworker to initiate the direct CCAP authorization instead of going through the standard income and work screening.

The Financial Help for Grandparents and Relatives Raising a Child in Kentucky guide includes a full CCAP walkthrough, explains how it stacks with K-TAP and SNAP, and covers the recertification reporting rules so your subsidy stays active.

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