DCF Enrolled Providers
You can help make child care more affordable for families by accepting Kansas Child Care Assistance payments.
What is a DCF Enrolled Provider?
The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) offers Child Care Assistance to help with child care expenses funded by the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). But for families to take advantage of this program, they need providers who are enrolled in the program.
Together, providers and DCF can make child care more accessible and help support working families by providing equal access to high-quality child care programs that support child development and learning.
Providers that enroll with DCF will receive payments directly from families using DCF Child Care Assistance. A parent can only use their Child Care Assistance benefit on their EBT card to pay a DCF-enrolled provider for child care services.
Please consider becoming a DCF enrolled provider. As a DCF enrolled provider, you will be increasing equal access to high-quality child care that supports children’s development and learning.
How to Become a DCF Enrolled Child Care Provider
All DCF enrolled child care providers must be U.S. citizens or legally residing in the U.S. with a valid Social Security number.
DCF completes extensive background checks on the provider, household members, age 10 or older, and volunteers (if applicable). Each person must pass a background check before the agreement is approved.
Complete an application to become a DCF enrolled child care provider.
Visit the Kansas Provider Access Portal to fill out an application online.
Print a paper application located at the bottom of the page and return to your nearest DCF Office.
If you are a licensed provider, you can fill out one of these applications and submit it to your county’s specialist from the list at the bottom of this page.
Types of DCF Enrolled Child Care Providers
Depending on the type of provider you are, you need to follow certain regulations and restrictions. Click on the option below that best defines your provider status to learn more.
DCF Enrolled Provider Requirements
As a DCF Enrolled Provider, you must:
There are many more requirements you must review and follow, including recording daily attendance with sign-in and sign-out times, have a 60-day grace period policy in place for houseless families and families fostering children and treating DCF families the same as private pay families. Page 8 of the provider handbook provides more details.
How Do DCF Enrolled Providers Get Paid?
DCF does not make payments to providers directly and payment is not guaranteed. Instead, parents pay providers with their Kansas Benefits Card Child Care Assistance and personal funds. The amount of a family’s child care subsidy benefit is determined based on the selected provider’s DCF rate and the family’s eligibility information.
All Kansas Benefits Card EBT payments are made through direct deposit (electronic) into a bank account. Providers must be able to receive payments from families in this manner. The bank account may be a checking, savings, or pay card account and must accommodate debit and credit cards.
When you enroll as a DCF child care provider, you agree to receive Child Care Assistance benefits (EBT benefits) from parents only for child care services provided. Any inappropriate activity or use of these benefits may result in the termination of your provider agreement with DCF, possible overpayments, and possible court action. You could be disqualified from future enrollment as a provider in the Child Care Assistance program.
For more information, refer to the DCF Child Care Provider Handbook. (Spanish)
DCF Enrollment Subsidies for Families
There are a few subsidies offered to families to help offset their costs.