How The Program Works

ALL Licensed Family Child Care Providers and Independent Child Care Providers (ICC) are eligible to participate.

This program serves all children enrolled in family child care homes through the age of 12, regardless of income.

Providers plan their own menus and purchase their own foods.
They are not told what to serve only to:
1. Follow the childcare food program pattern
2. Avoid non-creditable foods

Providers submit menus on a monthly basis. Each menu is read and each meal containing all required components is approved. Providers may claim for two meals and one snack or two snacks and one meal per child per day.
MEAL PATTERNS for INFANTS (56.1kb .pdf)

MEAL PATTERNS for CHILDREN (62.6kb.pdf)

REIMBURSEMENT RATES
In 1997, Congress passed as part of the Welfare Reform bill the system of II Tier Reimbursement. The rate at which providers receive reimbursement depends on the area they live in, their personal family income, or the income of the families they care for.

OVERSIGHT
Providers are visited three times per year no more than six months apart. Two of the visits are unannounced.

TRAINING
Providers are required to have six hours of training per year:
2 hours on Record Keeping and the CACFP Pattern
2 hours on Nutrition
2 additional hours, this may include CPR

Training Opportunities
Home Study Courses
Video Training
Group Training Opportunities
Conferences
One-on-One Tutorial