The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) is re-implementing a waitlist for the new Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) and On My Way Pre-K (OMWPK) voucher applicants due to significant growth in both programs.
At this time, the waitlist will impact new childcare voucher applicants. Vouchers support low-income families who make less than 150% of the federal poverty level (FPL), which is about $45,000 for a family of four, and have a service need, including employment, seeking employment, or enrollment in an education or training program.
OECOSL will continue to re-enroll children already receiving vouchers as long as funding permits. The office will reassess the waitlist at the start of the next federal fiscal year in October.
The re-implementation of a waitlist for the first time since 2018 is due, in part, to efforts to improve access, affordability, and quality of childcare programs.
Once a new CCDF application is submitted, a child is placed on the waitlist. Priority is given to:
On My Way Pre-K applicants
Families who earn below 100% FPL
Children of childcare workers
All other applicants will receive vouchers on a first-come, first-served basis, as available.
Families can call 211 for their local eligibility offices and Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) specialist’s contact information, and for help identifying child care options. Providers can call the SPARK Help Desk at 800-299-1627 for their local eligibility office’s contact information, and to ask general programming questions.
