According to Kip Lee, spokesperson for the Manhattan Area Social & Rehabilitation Services, help is available to assist low income, employed parents with some of the costs of child care, until their child’s 13th birthday. To find out if they are eligible for this program, they need to complete an application. They must also cooperate with Child Support Enforcement (if there is an absent parent), meet certain Kansas residence and citizenship requirements, and provide their social security number.
All monthly income (wages before taxes, child support, etc.) for each member of the family is considered when determining eligibility. Certain sources of monthly income are not counted (SSI, student loans). If the family’s combined income is within certain limits, the family will be considered eligible.
If eligible, a family pays only a part of their child care expenses and the child care financial assistance program would pay the balance.
For Example: A working parent with one child, earning $1219/month, would pay the first $84/month of child care and the program would pay the balance.
A working parent with two children, earning $1534/month, would pay the first $106/month of child care and the program would pay the balance.
Two working parents with two children, earning a total of $1849/month would pay the first $127/month of child care expenses and the program would pay the balance.
Financial assistance payments for child care services may be made to the parent’s choice of a licensed child care center, licensed family child care home, licensed group child care home, registered child care home, a child’s relative or a provider in the child’s home. Payment may not be made to a provider who is in the same household or caring for his/her own child. Providers must complete an agreement with SRS in order to receive payment.
For more information regarding the child care assistance application process, please
contact your local SRS office located at: Riley Co SRS, 2709 Amherst
Manhattan, KS 66505-1263 Phone: 785-776-4011