18.7 Childcare Services in Child Protective Services (CPS)

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
Child Welfare Policy Manual

Chapter:

(18) Support Services to Preserve or Reunify Families

Policy Title:

Child Care Services in Child Protective Services (CPS)

Policy Number:

18.7

Previous Policy Number(s):

N/A

Effective Date:

August 2026

Manual Transmittal:

2026-02

​Codes/References

45 CFR Parts 98: Child Care and Development Fund and 99: Procedure for Hearings for Child Care and Development Fund

​Requirements

The Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) will:

  1. Evaluate the need for child care services (less than 24 hours per day) due to child safety threats in active Investigation and Family Preservation Services cases and determine if the need is for regular (ongoing and predictable) or irregular (short term or temporary) child care.

  2. Explore all available free child care resources that meet the needs of the child and family before submitting a referral to Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS).

  3. Document the need for child care services to control safety threats in the Safety Plan or Family Plan.

  4. Submit a referral for childcare services electronically via Georgia SHINES to the CAPS program at the Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL), if one of the following circumstances applies:

    1. A child 12 years old or younger in an open child protective services (CPS) case lives in the home of the parent/guardian/legal custodian and the purpose of the child care is to address safety threats that can be resolved through child care services.

    2. A child 12 years old or younger in an open CPS case moves to the home of a new resource caregiver(s) (i.e. voluntary kinship caregiver) due to a safety threat, and the purpose of child care is to allow the new resource caregiver(s) to work, attend school or training.

    3. A child 13 years old or older with a special need in an open CPS case who is the subject of a court order requiring supervision.

    DECAL determines eligibility for CAPS (see CAPS Policy Manual Policy 7.4 Priority Groups: Child Protective Services (CPS) and Court-Ordered Supervision Cases for CAPS eligibility criteria).

  5. Provide the parent/guardian/legal custodian or voluntary kinship caregiver with their client Identification (ID) number from Georgia SHINES to apply for CAPS.

  6. Request the parent/guardian/legal custodian or voluntary kinship caregiver to apply for CAPS services via Georgia Gateway at gateway.ga.gov and provide the SSCM with the T-number from the CAPS application.

  7. Email the Georgia SHINES case number and the T-number from the CAPS application to the DECAL CAPS and copy the DFCS Child Care Unit.

  8. Monitor the provision of child care services to determine if the child safety threats have been controlled.

  9. Inform the parent/guardian/legal custodian to immediately notify DECAL CAPS of any eligibility changes involving the child or caregiver, including the child returning home from the voluntary kinship placement, either through Georgia Gateway’s website or DECAL’s website under “Contact Us”.

  10. Update Georgia SHINES with any CAPS eligibility changes involving the child or caregiver within 72 hours of the change (i.e., changes in child care provider, case closure, the child moves to a different home, etc.).

    Updating Georgia SHINES will NOT trigger changes in Georgia Gateway. The Social Services Case Manager (SSCM) must inform the parent/guardian/legal custodian that they are responsible for immediately notifying DECAL of all changes.

  11. Adhere to confidentiality and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) provisions outlined in policies 2.6 Information Management: Confidentiality/Safeguarding Information and 2.5 Information Management: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Obtain a signed Authorization for Release of Information (ROI) to facilitate sharing of information, when applicable.

​Procedures

​Social Services Case Manager

  1. Determine the need for child care services to control safety threats.

  2. Discuss the need for child care services with parent/guardian/legal custodians related to the safety threats identified as well as the benefits of early education services for the child.

  3. Document in the Safety Plan and/or Family Plan, the safety threats and how child care services will control the safety threat.

  4. Explore child care options with the parent/guardian/legal custodians or voluntary kinship caregivers, including all free child care resources (i.e. Georgia lottery funded Pre-K, Early Head Start, Head Start).

    Primary consideration should always be what is in the best interest of the child.

  5. Transmit a referral for the CAPS program at DECAL electronically via Georgia SHINES.

  6. Prior to the parent/guardian/legal custodian or voluntary kinship caregiver applying for CAPS, provide them with the client ID number (also known as EMPI Number) from Georgia SHINES.

    Add the parent/guardian/legal custodian or voluntary kinship caregiver to Georgia SHINES to generate the client ID number if they have not yet been added.

  7. Request the parent/guardian/legal custodian or voluntary kinship caregiver(s) apply for child care services at gateway.ga.gov for eligibility to be determined by DECAL. In addition, provide the following instructions to facilitate their completion of the CAPS Pre-Application Screener on Georgia Gateway:

    1. They must respond yes to “Do you have a Social Services Case Manager assisting you and /or your family at this time?”

    2. They must enter the client ID from Georgia SHINES provided to them by the SSCM.

    3. They must write down the CAPS T-number generated by Gateway and give it to the SSCM immediately.

    DECAL cannot determine eligibility for CAPS without the completion of the child care application.

  8. Email the Georgia SHINES case number and the T-number from the CAPS application to CAPSReferrals@decal.ga.gov and copy the DFCS Child Care Services Program at dfcs.childcare@dhs.ga.gov.

  9. Provide guidance to caregivers regarding what to expect while the application is being processed, including a discussion of the plan for the child’s safety while the child care application is being processed.

    1. If the CAPS application is approved, inform them to retrieve copies of the CAPS scholarships via Gateway.

    2. If the CAPS application is not approved, explore other funding options such as county funds, Prevention of Unnecessary Placement (PUP) funds, Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) programs at pssfnet.com/ or other community-based programs to control and child safety threats.

      Discuss the next steps with the SSS if no other funding source can be identified and child safety threats cannot be controlled.

  10. Monitor the provision of child care services to determine whether the safety threats have been controlled in accordance with policy 19.17 Case Management: Service Provision.

  11. Update Georgia SHINES with any changes involving the child or caregiver receiving child care services within 72 hours of the change.

​Social Services Supervisor

  1. Discuss with the SSCM whether childcare services may control or mitigate child safety threats.

  2. Provide guidance to the SSCM regarding exploration of free resources prior to the SSCM submitting a referral for CAPS.

  3. Verify the child and parent/guardian/legal custodian meet the requirements for the CAPS CPS referral.

  4. Verify that the SSCM:

    1. Provides the Georgia SHINES client ID to the parent/guardian/legal custodian or voluntary kinship caregiver to apply for CAPS.

    2. Sends the Georgia SHINES case number and CAPS application T-number to CAPSReferrals@decal.ga.gov and copy dfcs.childcare@dhs.ga.gov.

    3. Follows up with CAPS regarding the application and approval status.

  5. Provide guidance and assistance to the SSCM with exploring other child care options to control safety concerns if CAPS is not approved.

  6. Ensure that the SSCM instructs the parent/guardian/legal custodian to immediately notify CAPS of all changes related to eligibility.

  7. Review documentation in Georgia SHINES to verify that the SSCM documents all eligibility changes in Georgia SHINES within 72 hours.

​Practice Guidance

​Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL)

DECAL is responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia’s children and their families, as the state agency that administers the nationally recognized Georgia’s Pre-K Program, licenses Child Care centers and home-based child care, administers Georgia’s CAPS program, implements federal nutrition programs, and manages Quality Rated, Georgia’s community powered child care rating system. DECAL also houses the Georgia Head Start Collaboration Office, distributes federal funding to enhance the quality and availability of child care, and works collaboratively with Georgia Child Care resource and referral agencies and organizations throughout the state to enhance early care and education. For more information, go to www.decal.ga.gov.

​Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS)

The CAPS program, administered by DECAL, supports early education goals by assisting families with low-income 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 to:

  1. Provide access to high quality and affordable early learning environments for families who are considered low income.

  2. Support DECAL’s efforts in increasing positive school readiness outcomes.

  3. Assist families in achieving and maintaining self-sufficiency by providing financial support for child care costs.

Rates must not exceed the amount that the provider charges other customers who do not receive subsidies. Some examples of different types of child care are full-time, night-time, weekend, before/after school, full-day service for school-age and part-time.

Children eligible for CAPS must be a legal and physical resident of Georgia. DECAL will only pay for child care services provided within the state of Georgia. For exceptions (i.e., border agreements with surrounding states), contact DECAL.

​Childcare Providers

Child care services may be purchased from formal or informal providers. Child safety and well-being should be the primary considerations when selecting a child care provider. For more information on CAPS’ formal and informal child care providers see the CAPS Policies and Procedures Manual Chapter 11 Participating Providers.

​CAPS Priority Cases

The Child care and Parent Services (CAPS) program uses an eligibility model based on priority groups. Priority groups may be widened, narrowed, added, or removed based on available funding. Applications submitted for initial eligibility will be denied if the family does not meet eligibility for a priority group, even if other eligibility requirements are met. Applicants denied for not being in a priority group can appeal only if they believe the determination was made in error (see CAPS Policy Manual Policy 7: Priority Groups). Priority group status is only required at initial eligibility determination and is not required at annual redetermination.

​Eligibility for CAPS in CPS Cases

Children in CPS cases may be eligible for CAPS, if they meet one of the following criteria.

  1. A child 12 years old or younger in an open CPS case lives in the home of the CPS parents/caregivers and the purpose of the child care is to address safety threats due to a lack of supervision or child care.

    1. The caregiver(s) must meet the CAPS non-financial eligibility requirements (Georgia residency, child citizenship or qualified alien status, immunization, and identity) as prescribed in DECAL CAPS Policy Manual Policy 6: Eligibility Requirements.

    2. The caregiver(s) must meet the CAPS income guidelines as prescribed in the CAPS Income Calculations Policy (DECAL CAPS Policy Manual Policy 8: Income Calculations).

    3. The state-approved activity requirement may be waived by DECAL while the CPS case is open and through the 12-month eligibility period.

  2. A child 12 years old or younger in an open CPS case moves to the home of a new resource caregiver(s) (i.e. relative, safety resource, kinship care (not in DFCS custody), fictive kin, family friend, etc.) due to a safety or supervision concern, and the purpose of child care is to allow the new resource caregiver(s) to work, attend school or training.

    1. The new resource caregiver(s) must meet the CAPS non-financial eligibility requirements (Georgia residency, child citizenship or qualified alien status, immunization, and identity) as prescribed in CAPS Eligibility Requirements Policy DECAL CAPS Policy Manual Policy 6: Eligibility Requirements).

    2. The new resource caregiver(s) must meet the CAPS income guidelines as prescribed in the CAPS Income Calculations Policy DECAL CAPS Policy Manual Policy 8: Income Calculations).

    3. The state-approved activity requirement may be waived by DECAL while the CPS case is open and through the 12-month eligibility period.

      When the child returns home, child care services may continue provided that the child’s parents/caregivers’ income does not exceed 85% of the state median income (SMI) guidelines. The SSCM can contact the DFCS Child Care Services program for assistance at dfcs.childcare@dhs.ga.gov.

  3. A child 13 years old or older with a special need in an open CPS case who is the subject of a court order requiring supervision.

    1. The family must meet CAPS income and residency requirements, but not the work activity requirement.

    2. A family fee is assessed based on the family’s income.

    3. Children under court ordered supervision may receive CAPS services until the end of the month in which the child turns 18 years old.

Children who need to receive protective services but are not formally involved with CPS may qualify for the Need to Protect priority group as prescribed in DECAL CAPS Policy Manual Policy 7.15 Priority Groups: Need to Protect.

​Early Head Start, Head Start, Pre-K, and Quality Rated Child Care

  1. Early Head Start and Head Start Programs: DFCS partners with the Georgia Head Start Collaboration Office and local Early Head Start/ Head Start agencies to provide comprehensive early childhood and family development services to children birth to five years of age.

    1. Early Head Start serves infants, and toddlers under three years of age

    2. Head Start serves children three to five years old

      Children who turn five years old after the September 1st enrollment deadline for Head Start are eligible for the program; however, children who are five years old and enrolled in kindergarten are not eligible for the program.

      Early Head Start/Head Start is child-focused and has the overall goal of increasing school readiness of young children from low-income families by providing a learning environment that supports children’s growth in many areas, such as language, literacy and social and emotional development. Additionally, Head Start agencies provide comprehensive wraparound supports, such as a range of individualized services in the areas of education and early childhood development; medical, dental and mental health; nutrition; parent involvement and family support. Leveraging these resources enhances safety by ensuring that children remain within the sight of mandated reporters and facilitates consistent breaks for parents, guardians and legal custodians.

      To participate in Early Head Start and Head Start programs, families must meet the Head Start Family Income Eligibility Guidelines. However, children in foster care, children who are homeless, and children from families receiving public assistance (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)) are categorically eligible for Head Start/Early Head Start regardless of income.

      If the Head Start program does not operate during the summer, children should be enrolled in a licensed childcare facility.

  2. Georgia’s Pre-K Program Research confirms that students in Georgia’s Pre-K Program, a nationally recognized, lottery funded pre-kindergarten program continue to exhibit positive outcomes through the end of kindergarten across all domains of learning. Georgia’s Pre-K program is available in all 159 counties. Georgia’s Pre-K Program provides appropriate activities and learning experiences that help young children become school ready which means they are socially, emotionally, physically, and cognitively prepared for success in kindergarten. Children develop skills in language and literacy, math, science, social studies, creative, health and physical, and social and emotional areas.

    Children who are Georgia residents and are four years of age on September 1 of the current school year are eligible to attend Georgia’s Pre-K Program. Pre-K programs usually operate on the regular school system calendar for the length of a typical school day. Pre-K Programs may be offered at local public schools or through private providers of preschool services. Every effort should be made to enroll children four years of age in Georgia’s Pre-K program.

  3. Quality Rated Child Care Access to early education supports the achievement of developmental milestones and increases school readiness for young children (birth to five years of age). Child safety and well-being are primary considerations when selecting an early childhood education program. Therefore, select the highest Quality Rated program (QualityRated.org) available in the area of the child’s foster care placement. If possible, choose a provider familiar to the child to minimize trauma associated with removal. The major categories of formal child care providers:

    • Family Child Care Learning Home: Operates in a private residential home less than 24 hours per day. The operator receives pay for providing care for three to six children under the age of 13 or 18 if the child meets the criteria for CAPS special needs or court-ordered supervision.

    • Child Care Learning Center: This is a group care program operated by an individual or business entity recognized under Georgia law. The program serves seven or more children under the age of 18 for less than 24 hours per day.

​Forms and Tools

Childcare and Parent Services Policies and Procedures
Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) Maximum Reimbursement Rates