Louisiana CCAP Childcare Assistance for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

What CCAP Provides

Louisiana's Child Care Assistance Program pays a portion of childcare costs directly to a certified provider — a daycare center, preschool, or licensed family childcare home. The grandparent or relative caregiver pays a sliding-scale copayment based on household income and family size. For low-income kinship households, that copayment can be very small.

CCAP is administered by the Louisiana Department of Education, not DCFS. That means it has its own application, its own income rules, and its own processing timeline — separate from KCSP, FITAP, and SNAP.

Eligibility Rules for Kinship Caregivers

To qualify, the caregiver's household income must fall at or below 65% of the State Median Income (SMI). The activity requirement is at least 20 hours per week of work, job training, or educational coursework.

A few income-counting details matter for grandparents:

• Child support payments received for the child are excluded from countable income under Bulletin 139 regulatory updates
• Alimony is also excluded
• Adoption subsidies are excluded
• KCSP and FITAP payments are generally counted as household income

One restriction catches some kinship families off guard: a relative caregiver who is themselves a certified CCAP childcare provider cannot receive subsidy payments for caring for children in their own household. The program is designed to subsidize external care, not pay you for caring for your own grandchild at home.

The Waitlist

CCAP maintains an active waitlist. Priority processing goes to families receiving FITAP, children under court supervision, and special needs cases. A kinship grandparent receiving FITAP cash assistance may move up the list faster.

If you are on the waitlist and your circumstances change — new income, a new child in the home, a change in work hours — update your information promptly to keep your place.

Attendance Tracking and the Underutilization Trap

Once enrolled, providers and parents must log daily attendance through the KinderConnect system. This is where grandparents raising grandchildren can run into problems. A child who misses multiple days without explanation triggers an LDOE Underutilization Notice, which can close your case entirely. Closure means reapplying from scratch and going back onto the waitlist.

If the grandchild is sick, has a doctor's appointment, or will be absent for any reason, notify the childcare provider in advance and ensure the absence is logged correctly in KinderConnect. Keep your own record of dates and reasons.

How to Apply

Apply through the LDOE CCAP portal or contact LDOE directly at 1-877-453-2721 or [email protected]. Processing takes about 30 days, subject to waitlist availability.

You will need proof of income, proof of work or educational enrollment (20 hours per week minimum), the child's identity documents, and proof of your relationship and care arrangement.

For a full picture of every financial program available to Louisiana kinship caregivers — childcare, cash assistance, food, and health coverage — the Louisiana Kinship Financial Help guide organizes them all in one document with income thresholds and application steps side by side.

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