Financial Assistance
We currently DO NOT enroll children with state assistance contracts. This page provides some information parents can use if interested in applying for subsidized pay. Parents who qualify for assistance should ask DFS for a listing of providers who accept these payment.
Jackson County Family Support Division (DFS)
Division of Family Services provides a subsidized childcare program for low-income families to help pay for childcare. To apply for this Child Care Assistance Program, you must contact DFS to see if your income qualifies.
The addresses may have changed. If so, you can do an internet search for the updated information
615 East 13th Street | Midtown Office |
East Jackson Office | South Jackson Office |
Income Guidelines and Sliding Fee Chart
DFS will ask for information to verify your income and your expenses. Once you submit this information, they use a chart to determine if you are eligible.
How does it work.
Once DFS has deterimed if you are eligible for assistance, you will need to give them the name of the provider you've choosen. DFS will them place your child/ren's name in their system under the providers infomation. When this is done, the provider can begin to watch your children.
What Link pays the provider:
A Maximum Payment Rate for deciding how much to pay each provider is used. The rate goes by what type of facility the provider has, the age of the child, what hours of care the provider will have the child and the county the facility is located in. DFS looks at the income of the parent to determine how much of that Maximum Payment Rate the parent can pay. If the provider charges less than the Maximum Payment Rate DFS will only pay the amount charged. If the provider charges more, DFS will pay the Maximum Rate minus the amount paid by the parent which is required by DFS. This amount is called a Sliding Fee. A Co-payment is the remaining amount owed by the parent due to the provider in addition to the maximum rate and the sliding fee. This daycare charges more than the maximum rate. As the parent, you will be expected to pay your sliding fee and co-payment every Friday. Childcare can not start until we know the correct amount to be paid by the parent.
DFS age standards are:
Birth to 2 years old as Infants
2 years to 5 years as Preschool
5 years and older as School age
Whenever the child turns 5 years old, DFS considers the child as school age.
When a child is provided 5 hours or more it is considered as Full Time care.
When a child is provided between 3 and 5 hours it is considered as Half Time care.
When the child is provided between 30 minutes and 3 hours it is Part Time care.