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Paying for Child Care
The Right Fit Paying for Child Care
On Track by 5 Alliance, the Lafayette Parish Child Care Resource and Referral agency can help you to find programs to assist you in paying for
child care:
Child Care Assistance Program
This program, run by the Louisiana Department of Education, helps low- and moderate-income families pay for the child care they need in order to work or attend school or training. Monthly payments are based on the number of hours the parents work or attend school or training, the amount charged by the child care provider, family size and household income. Parents can select any Type III Early Learning Center, school-based before and after school program, registered family child day care home, or registered in-home provider that participates in the program. For more information about the program, including eligibility information and instructions on how to apply, visit the LDE CCAP Website. You can even apply online!
Early Head Start & Head Start
Head Start is a family-focused child development program that offers education, health, parent involvement and social services for low income children and their families. All Head Start services are provided at no cost to children and their families. Head Start programs are offered in many different settings, including in child care centers, family child care homes and public schools. Early Head Start provides services to pregnant women and children ages zero to three. "Traditional" Head Start serves preschool children, usually ages three through five. In Lafayette Parish, Prime Time, Inc. and United Way of Acadiana are the two grantees providing Head Start and Early Head Start services.
https://primetimefamily.org/
Pre-K in Public Schools
The Lafayette Parish School System Pre-Kindergarten Program is offered to a limited number of children in Lafayette Parish. Funding is provided through the LA4 grant, 8(g) grant, Title I, General Funds, and Tuition. The purpose of the grant funds is to provide educational experiences to at-risk four year olds. Students who qualify for free/reduced lunch have priority based on grant guidelines. Remaining spots are offered to students with a tuition fee. Children registering for Pre-K must be four on or before September 30 and reside in Lafayette Parish.
http://www.lpssonline.com/site3414.php
Nonpublic Schools Early Childhood Development Program
The NSECD program is a pre-kindergarten program that provides free tuition at private schools for four year-olds from low- and moderate-income families. In Lafayette parish, there are three sites offering these services. Visit the NSECD web site including income requirements and a list of participating schools.
School Readiness Tax Credits for Parents
When you send your child to a Quality Start rated child care center, you're not only giving your child the best possible care, you're also entitled to a special new tax credit – the School Readiness Tax Credit. This is a tax credit especially for taxpayers with children who are under the age of 6 who are enrolled in a child care center that has earned at least 2 stars in Louisiana's Quality Start program. The amount of the tax credit increases with the number of stars that the child care center has earned. The SRTC adds to your existing state child care tax credit. For more information, visit the Quality Start web site.
Child & Dependent Care Tax Credits
Parents and guardians can receive child and dependent care tax credits on both their federal and Louisiana income tax returns. Depending on your income, your federal credit may be worth up to 35% of your child care expenses. For more information on the federal child and dependent care tax credit, visit the IRS web site. The standard Louisiana child care tax credit is worth up to 50% of the federal child and dependent care tax credit, depending on a family's income.
