Project Summary
The primary goal of this project is to support CDEC in making program and policy decisions for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) that are consistent with the Department’s vision of “All Colorado children, families, and early childhood professionals are valued, healthy, and thriving.” CCCAP has gone through critical transitions, including budgetary limitations and several new federal policies that will begin on August 1, 2026. This project will establish baseline data on CCCAP participation (enrollment and child care services received) that could be compared against later data to examine influences of those policies, particularly for families that are child welfare or TANF-involved. Specific objectives include:
- examining the extent to which child care is being leveraged as a child maltreatment prevention strategy versus a reactive approach after families are systems-involved
- conducting predictive analytics to determine whether subsidized low-income child care is a protective factor for children at risk of maltreatment in Colorado, and if so, by how much and whether it differs by county.
- exploring which families are and are not receiving subsidized child care, the type of child care families are receiving (low-income, TANF, child welfare) and when, and whether there are differences for families who apply for child care, are authorized to receive child care, or actually receive subsidized care.
Data Partners
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Colorado Department of Early Childhood
- Colorado Department of Human Services – Office of Children, Youth, and Families
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Colorado Department of Human Services – Office of Economic Security, Division of Economic and Workforce Support