The Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program assists families with the cost of childcare.
Finding affordable child care remains a daunting challenge even in our technologically advanced and resource-abundant era. New parents often grapple with the tough decision of either living on a single income while one parent stays at home, or both partners working full-time jobs and barely making enough to cover the exorbitant cost of day care. The struggle to strike a balance is real with support from financial assistance.
Child care can be expensive, and finding safe and high-quality child care at an affordable price can be difficult. That’s why the Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program exists.
A brief history of Child Care
Discover the intriguing origins of child care in the United States. In Abby J. Cohen’s A Brief History of Federal Financing for Child Care, we learn that the day nursery movement emerged in the late nineteenth century. Designed to support low-income families, these services were established by philanthropic institutions, community organizations, and private individuals. While education was not a priority at the time, these day nurseries played a crucial role in allowing parents to work and protecting children from unsupervised harm.
For over 50 years, Congress has continually extended a program aimed at providing early childhood development services to millions of children. However, this program alone cannot fully address the ongoing child care crisis faced by low-income families. According to a 2017 article from US News, significant social and economic changes have made the original mission of Head Start even more crucial, but also more challenging, including increased rates of out-of-wedlock childbearing, technological advancements that favor certain skills, and growing income inequality.
Financial Assistance for Child Care
Certain families are eligible to receive financial assistance to help with the cost of childcare. The Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program, administered by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL), helps parents access childcare so they can attend work, school, or training programs.
About CAPS
The CAPS program supports early education goals by assisting families with the cost of child care while they work, go to school or training, or participate in other work-related activities.
The purpose of CAPS is threefold:
- Provide access to high quality and affordable early learning environments for families who are considered low income.
- Support DECAL’s efforts in increasing positive school readiness outcomes.
- Assist families in achieving and maintaining self-sufficiency by providing financial supports for child care costs.
CAPS is administered by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.
