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Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families: Paying for Child Care and More!

What is the Child Care Assistance Program?

The Child Care Assistance Program can help pay for child care while you work, look for a job, go to school or participate in activities within an employment plan. Families may have to pay a copayment based on their income and number of people in their family. There may be a waiting list in some counties for families that haven’t recently received cash assistance.

For more detailed information about the Child Care Assistance Program see the “Child Care Assistance Program Family Guide” (edocs.dhs.state.mn.us/lfserver/Public/DHS-3944-ENG).

What are the eligibility requirements?

To be eligible for child care assistance, you must:

  • Submit an application and all required documents
  • Be working, going to school, searching for a job or doing activities in an employment plan
  • Have children needing care who are 12 or younger, or 13 or 14 years old with special needs
  • Have children who meet citizenship and immigration requirements
  • Cooperate with child support enforcement for all children in your family with an absent parent
  • Meet the program’s income limits
  • Have assets equal to or less than $1 million

Families experiencing homelessness have three months after they apply to submit documents and be in an activity such as work, school or employment plan activities.

Are there resources for children with special needs?

Parents of children with special needs may have additional considerations in finding child care that is sensitive and respectful.

“Questions to Ask When Seeking Child Care for  Children with Special Needs,” from the Center for Inclusive Child Care, helps family members when they seek an early care and education program for a child with special needs. Children with special needs may be eligible for higher reimbursement rates from the Child Care Assistance Program if providers make accommodations to meet their needs. Talk to your worker and child care provider about requesting a special needs rate.

Review additional resources at parentaware.org/learn/children-with-special-needs/.

How do I apply for child care assistance?

Contact your local human service office. This may be a county, Tribe or subcontracted agency. If you are not enrolled in the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), ask if your agency has a waiting list before completing an application. Apply online at MNbenefits.mn.gov, or print and complete the “Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program application” (edocs.dhs.state.mn.us/lfserver/Public/DHS-3550-ENG), or contact your local child care assistance agency.

How do I choose a child care provider?

Parent Aware, Minnesota’s quality rating and improvement system, offers free resources to help families find quality child care and early education programs. Parent Aware helps you:

  • Find high quality child care that meets your family’s needs
  • Feel confident in your provider choice by providing tools and tips to choose a provider, health and safety records, and more.

Parent Aware can also help you understand licensing and safety standards, and show you where to file complaints. Learn more at parentaware.org/ or by calling 888-291-9811.

The “Finding Child Care: A Guide for Families” https://www.parentaware.org/learn/finding-childcare-a-guide-for-families/#/ is available in English, Spanish, Somali and Hmong and has information about steps for choosing care, questions to ask and things to look for as you visit child care programs and the types of child care in Minnesota.

Where else can I find help for my family?
Help Me Connect

Minnesota Help Me Connect is an online directory that helps pregnant families and those with children from birth to 8 years old connect to services in their local communities that support healthy child development and family well-being. 

Help Me Connect has resources for:

  • Early learning programs and child care
  • Pregnant and expectant families
  • Disability services and resources
  • Healthy development and screening, including Early Childhood Family Education
  • Developmental and behavior concerns
  • Dental and health care
  • Basic needs, including financial assistance, energy assistance, WIC and food programs
  • Crisis help lines (United Way 2-1-1, 988 Suicide, Mental Health)
  • Family support and mental health services
  • And more!

Visit the Help Me Connect website at
helpmeconnectmn.org.

Child and Adult Care Food Program

The Child and Adult Care Food Program pays for meals and snacks served to children in child care or early learning programs. It helps child care programs serve well-balanced, nutritious meals to build good eating habits. Ask your child care program if they
participate. 

What other resources can help pay for child care?

There are a number of programs and tax credits that can help your family afford child care such as:

  • Early Learning Scholarships
  • Head Start and Early Head Start
  • Post-Secondary Child Care Grant Program for students
  • Child care programs for military families
  • Child and Dependent Care Tax Credits
  • Earned Income and Working Family Tax Credits.

Check with your employer to see if they offer Dependent Care Assistance Programs.

Learn more about these options by visiting parentaware.org/learn/paying-for-child-care/ or 888-291-9811.

Civil Rights Notice

Discrimination is against the law. The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) does not discriminate on the basis of any of the following:

  • race
  • color
  • national origin
  • creed
  • religion
  • sexual orientation
  • public assistance status
  • marital status
  • age
  • disability
  • sex
  • political beliefs

Civil Rights Complaints

You have the right to file a discrimination complaint if you believe you were treated in a discriminatory
way by a social services agency.

Contact DHS directly only if you have a discrimination complaint:

Civil Rights Coordinator
Minnesota Department of Human Services
Equal Opportunity and Access Division
P.O. Box 64997
St. Paul, MN 55164-0997
651-431-3040 (voice) or use your preferred relay service

Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR)

In Minnesota, you have the right to file a complaint with the MDHR if you believe you have been discriminated against because of any of the following:

  • race
  • color
  • national origin
  • religion
  • creed
  • sex
  • sexual orientation
  • marital status
  • public assistance status
  • disability

Contact the MDHR directly to file a complaint:

Minnesota Department of Human Rights
540 Fairview Avenue North, Suite 201
St. Paul, MN 55104
651-539-1100 (voice)
800-657-3704 (toll free)
711 or 800-627-3529 (MN Relay)
651-296-9042 (fax)
Info.MDHR@state.mn.us

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR)

You have the right to file a complaint with the OCR, a federal agency, if you believe you have been discriminated against because of any of the following:

  • disability
  • sex
  • religion
  • race
  • color
  • national origin
  • age

Contact the OCR directly to file a complaint:

Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Midwest Region
233 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 240
Chicago, IL 60601
Customer Response Center:
Toll-Free: 800-368-1019
TDD Toll-Free: 800-537-7697
ocrmail@hhs.gov

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