This DES child care assistance checklist keeps two jobs apart: your case is between you and DES, and enrollment is between you and the child care provider. Get your DES paperwork first, then bring it to the provider when you enroll.
Questions for DES
DES decides these for your family; ask DES directly.
- ✓Am I eligible, and for how many hours?
- ✓Do my evening or weekend work hours count?
- ✓What will my co-pay be?
What to bring to the provider
- Your DES paperwork
- Your child's current immunization card
- A completed emergency card
Questions for the provider
- ✓Do you accept DES?
- ✓Do you handle the provider side?
- ✓Are you open during the hours I work?
How it works at Nana's
DES child care assistance is accepted at both buildings. Assistance is based on the hours you work, and evening and weekend hours qualify. Bring your DES paperwork at enrollment and the provider side is handled here; DES families pay the weekly co-pay DES sets. Details: DES child care assistance at Nana's.
DES child care assistance at Nana's →Keep copies
Keep a copy of every DES letter and form in one folder, with dates. If anything changes at work — new hours, a new job — tell DES and the provider early.
When your hours change
Shift workers' schedules change often. Ask DES how to report new hours, and ask your provider how a schedule change works on their side.
Ask in your language
English and Spanish are spoken at both Nana's front desks, so the paperwork questions can be asked in Spanish too.
Frequently asked questions
Who decides my DES co-pay?
DES sets the co-pay; the provider collects it.