CalWORKs Stage One Child Care

The CalWORKs Stage One Child Care program helps eligible families pay for immediate, quality and affordable child care as they move through their Welfare-to-Work (WTW) activities towards employment and self-sufficiency.

Eligibility

CalWORKs Stage One Child Care subsidy is available for CalWORKs children through age 12, and exceptional needs or severely disabled children up to age 18

Eligible Child Care Providers

 Parents have the ability to choose any public or private licensed, or license exempt child care program that best fits their family’s needs. Eligible providers may include: A relative, friend, neighbor, family child care provider, before or after school program, some recreational programs, and licensed child care centers.

CalWORKs Child Care Stages

There are three different stages of CalWORKs Child Care: 

• Stage One: Administered by El Dorado County Employment Services. Stage One Child Care begins immediately upon CalWORKs cash assistance approval to support a parent’s entry into a County-approved Welfare-to-Work activity or employment. Stage One Child Care is authorized for 12 months or until the CalWORKs family is transferred to Stage Two Child Care. Former CalWORKs families are eligible for Stage One and/or Stage Two Child Care for a total of no more than 24 months after they leave cash assistance. 
• Stage Two: Administered by the Catalyst Community Alternative Payment Program (APP). Stage One families will be referred to Stage Two as soon as a parent’s employment and child care arrangements are stable, or if a family has transitioned off of CalWORKs cash assistance. Families may remain in this Stage for up to 24 months after they leave CalWORKs cash assistance. 
• Stage Three: Administered by the Catalyst Community Alternative Payment Program (APP). Stage Three provides child care benefits for former CalWORKs participants who are working, have left CalWORKs cash assistance and exhausted their 24-month eligibility for Stage One and/or Stage Two Child Care, or to families who receive a CalWORKs lump-sum diversion payment.