Virginia Child Care Subsidy for Grandparents — Eligibility and Work Requirements

How Virginia's Child Care Subsidy Works

The Virginia Child Care Subsidy Program (CCSP) helps low-income families pay for childcare through direct payments to participating providers. It is administered jointly by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and local departments of social services.

For grandparents and other kinship caregivers, CCSP can cover a significant portion of daycare, after-school care, or summer program costs. But unlike TANF child-only grants where your income is excluded, CCSP eligibility is based on your household income and — for most applicants — your employment or training activity.

The Work Requirement and the Retired Caregiver Exception

The standard rule: to receive childcare subsidies, the caregiver must be participating in an approved activity — employment, an approved job search, or a vocational training or education program.

The exception that matters for kinship grandparents: non-parent relative caregivers who are retired, receiving Social Security retirement or disability income, receiving a pension, or are over age 60 can access childcare subsidies for a child placed in their home without meeting employment hour rules, as long as the family income falls within program limits.

This means a retired grandparent raising a grandchild does not need to be working or enrolled in training to qualify. The retirement exception exists specifically because kinship caregivers often took on childcare responsibilities unexpectedly and may not be able to return to the workforce.

Children in formal foster care, KinGAP arrangements, or protective kinship placements receive priority enrollment and can bypass local waitlists.

The PASS Attendance System

Since December 1, 2025, families receiving CCSP must comply with the Child Care Program Attendance and Schedule System (PASS), powered by KinderSystems. This means electronic attendance tracking — your childcare provider records check-in and check-out times through the PASS system.

This is a compliance requirement, not something you need to set up yourself. Your childcare provider handles the technical side. But you should know about it because missed check-ins or irregular attendance patterns can trigger reviews of your subsidy.

How to Apply

Apply through your local DSS office or through the CommonHelp portal (commonhelp.virginia.gov). You will need:

• Proof of income (Social Security statement, pension statement, pay stubs)
• Proof of the child's age and relationship to you
• Proof of your approved activity (employment verification, school enrollment) — or documentation of your retired status if using the retirement exception
• Information about your chosen childcare provider

Be aware that some localities maintain waitlists when demand exceeds available funding. Priority enrollment for foster and kinship placements helps, but the waitlist reality varies by county.

What If You Do Not Qualify for CCSP?

If your income exceeds CCSP limits or you do not meet the activity requirement and the retirement exception does not apply, a few alternatives exist:

• Head Start and Early Head Start: Federally funded preschool programs for children from birth to age five in low-income families. Enrollment priority goes to children in foster care and kinship placements.
• Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI): Free preschool for eligible four-year-olds in participating school divisions.
• Title III-E Caregiver Support: If you are age 55 or older, your local Area Agency on Aging may provide supplemental support that can include help with childcare-related costs.

The Virginia kinship financial help guide covers childcare alongside every other benefit available to kinship caregivers — TANF, SNAP, FAMIS, KinGAP, and emergency assistance — so you can see the full picture of what you qualify for.

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