Provider's Residential and/or Own Children

Management Bulletin

To: Child and Adult Care Food Program, Day Care Home Sponsors

Number: 06-219

Attention: Food Program Director

Date: September 2006

Subject: Eligibility of Day Care Home Provider's Residential and/or Own Children

Reference: Day Care Home Sponsors Administrative Manual Section 600 (A); Management Bulletin 93-203; Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 226.2

This Management Bulletin immediately rescinds previous California policy regarding the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) reimbursement age limitation of provider’s own children, residential children, and/or foster children to under 10 years of age.

Effective September 1, 2006, providers may be reimbursed for meals provided to their own children, residential children, and foster children under 13 years of age if all three of the following conditions exist:

  • The provider’s own, residential, and foster child(ren) are enrolled and participating in the child care program during the time of meal service;
  • Other enrolled nonresidential children are present and participating in the same meal service; and
  • The day care home sponsor has a current (less than 12 month’s old) eligibility document on file for establishing income or categorical eligibility for the provider’s household or foster child(ren).

The term "provider’s own children" refers to any children who reside in the household, such as the provider’s own children by birth or adoption, grandchildren, or housemates’ children who are part of the economic unit.

The California Code of Regulations, Health and Safety Code, Title 22, specifies that children under the age of 10 years who reside in the home are included in the day care home’s licensed capacity. Although children over the age of 10 years who reside in the home are not included in the licensed capacity, they may still be eligible to participate in the CACFP. Therefore, providers may claim meals served to children ages 10 to 13 who reside in the home (in addition to children included in the licensed capacity), as long as the three criteria listed above are met.

The age limitations for children participating in the CACFP are as follows:

  • Provider’s own, residential, foster, and nonresidential children under 13 years of age;
  • Children of migrant workers under 16 years of age; and
  • Children with disabilities of any age if the majority of all enrolled children are under 19 years of age.

Day Care Home Sponsors are responsible for ensuring edit check, meal count, and monitoring requirements are met.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.

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Contact Us

CDSS Child and Adult Care Food Program
744 P Street, MS 9-13-290
Sacramento, CA 95814
833-559-2418
CACFPInfo@dss.ca.gov