Atlanta

Georgia expanding CAPS child care assistance program to thousands more families

ATLANTA — Thousands of Georgia families will get new help with child care through an expansion of the state’s Childcare and Parent Services program.

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Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday that the CAPS program, which helps families with the cost of child care, will expand to 10,000 more children beginning Nov. 1.

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New guidelines will increase the entry income threshold from 50% of the state median income to 85%. The expansion, which continues through Oct. 1, 2024, utilizes funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

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CAPS will also change the eligibility of people in the “very low income” priority group from 50% of the federal poverty level to 150%, which will vastly increase the number of eligible families.

According to Childcare Aware of America, the average annual price for full-time infant care in a child care center in Georgia is approximately $8,729, or $168/week.

You can find more information HERE.