Nebraska Child Care Subsidy for Relative Caregivers

Child care is one of the biggest expenses for grandparents and relatives who go back to work or enter a training program after taking in a grandchild. Nebraska's child care subsidy through DHHS helps cover those costs — but it has rules that work differently from the ADC child-only grant.

The Key Difference: Your Income Counts

Unlike the ADC child-only grant (where your wages, retirement, and savings are completely ignored), the child care subsidy under Title 392 of the Nebraska Administrative Code evaluates your household income to determine eligibility. DHHS looks at what you earn from work, training stipends, and other income sources.

One piece of good news: the ADC cash grant the child receives is disregarded when calculating child care subsidy eligibility. So the child's grant doesn't push you over the income threshold.

You Must Be Doing an Approved Activity

Nebraska requires the relative caregiver to participate in an approved activity to qualify for child care assistance. That means:

• Working
• Attending a job training program
• Enrolled in an educational program

Retired grandparents who are not working or in training generally don't qualify for routine child care subsidies. The exception is if you're incapacitated or caring for a child with documented special needs — those situations may open an alternate eligibility path.

Using a Relative as a Child Care Provider

Nebraska allows you to choose an eligible relative — a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or adult sibling who lives outside the child's home — to serve as a license-exempt child care provider. That person can receive subsidy payments for caring for the child while you work.

The relative provider must complete DHHS background checks, CPR certification, and a self-certification form. Form CC-0350 covers in-home care arrangements, and Form CC-0351 covers family child care homes.

This means another family member can be paid through the subsidy to watch the child during your work hours — a practical option when a licensed day care center isn't nearby or doesn't fit the child's needs.

How to Apply

Apply for the child care subsidy through iServe Nebraska (iserve.nebraska.gov) or paper Form EA-117, which covers child care, ADC, SNAP, and LIHEAP. The iServe online application also covers Medicaid. You'll need proof of your work or training activity, your income documentation, and information about the child care arrangement.

Our Nebraska Financial Help guide explains how the child care subsidy interacts with ADC and other programs — including common scenarios where a working relative caregiver qualifies for the child-only grant (income excluded) and the child care subsidy (income counted) at the same time.

See more Nebraska guides →