(Effective: 04/23/2025)
3.2.5 Protective Services Child Care Subsidy Authorizations for Family Centered Services Cases
Families who have an open Family Centered Services (FCS) case, are eligible for Protective Services Child Care Subsidy through the Protective Services Child Care Subsidy Program administered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The child who is the intended child care recipient must be a U.S. citizen or qualified alien as defined in 5 CSR 25-200.050(32).
When a need for child care is identified, the Children’s Division worker must provide the applicant with the completed and signed Child Care Subsidy Verification Letter (CD-317). The family is responsible for applying for Protective Services Child Care Subsidy through DESE’s Child Care Data System (CCDS) – Parent Portal
Temporary Alternative Placement Agreement (TAPA)
A child placed through a Temporary Alternative Placement Agreement (TAPA) is eligible for Protective Services Child Care Subsidy.
Either the parent or the TAPA caregiver may initiate the application in the CCDS – Parent Portal. If the parent initiates the application, the parent will need to add the TAPA caregiver as an authorized user to their account. If the TAPA caregiver initiates the application and the parent will be signing the child in or out of childcare, the TAPA caregiver will need to add the parent as an authorized user to their account.
The person initiating the application must be assigned a DVN by the case managing circuit and provided a completed and signed Child Care Subsidy Verification Letter (CD-317) by the worker. When completing the application in the CCDS – Parent Portal, the applicant may use the Child Care Subsidy Verification Letter (CD-317) or the Official Notice of Temporary Placement of a Child (CD-294) as verification of eligibility. Please note, the Temporary Alternative Placement Agreement (CD-295) may not be used for verification of eligibility and should not be uploaded to the CCDS application.
To add an authorized user after completing an application in the CCDS – Parent Portal, the applicant must create an account in KinderConnect through the Child Care Business Information Solution (CCBIS) portal.
To register in KinderConnect:
KC-QRC-Sponsor-Self-Registration-MO-0919.pdf
To add and authorize a ‘sponsor’ or additional user to the KinderConnect portal:
KC-QRC-Sponsor-Adding-Authorizing-Sponsors-MO-0819.pdf
Child Care Subsidy Verification Letter (CD-317)
The Children’s Division worker must provide the completed and signed Child Care Subsidy Verification Letter (CD-317) to families with a need for child care who are receiving Family Centered Services (FCS), Intensive In-Home Services (IIS) or are part of a Temporary Alternative Placement Agreement (TAPA). Additionally, the CD-317 must be provided for children who are in the legal custody of Children’s Division but never left the care of a parent, therefore do not have an active Alternative Care function and the case is monitored through the Family Centered Services function.
Children’s Division works with the entire family unit. There are situations where a family has children in the legal custody of the Children’s Division and children who are in the legal care and custody of the parent. In these situations, when child care becomes a need for children in the legal care and custody of the parent, the worker must provide a Child Care Subsidy Verification Letter (CD-317) to the parent and the Family Centered Services box should be checked.
Documentation or upload of the Child Care Subsidy Verification Letter (CD-317) may occur in the AC or FCS case dependent on the case circumstance. If the child is in the legal custody of the parent and remains in the parental home, this would most commonly be documented in the AC case but documentation in the FCS case is also an option. If the parent has agreed to a TAPA and the child is placed outside the parental home or the child is in the legal custody of Children’s Division and never leaves the care of a parent, documentation should occur in the FCS case.
One Child Care Subsidy Verification Letter (CD-317) should be provided to the individual applying for each eligible child. If the applicant does not have an assigned DVN, one will need to be created by the case managing circuit. The applicant can complete the application process without a DVN; however, omission of a DVN will delay the approval process.
The CCDS – Parent Portal requires the applicant to upload the Child Care Subsidy Verification Letter (CD-317) during the application process. Failure to do so will cause the applicant to be denied services or delay the approval process.
Instructions for the applicant receiving the Child Care Subsidy Verification Letter (CD-317) are included on pages 2 and 3 of the letter which provides an explanation of eligibility requirements, a list of documents to be prepared with at the time of application, and instructions on how to apply online or by mail.
Assigning a DVN
Instructions on how to assign a DVN can be found here:
Authorization Period
The Child Care Subsidy Verification Letter (CD-317) shall have an eligibility begin date as the date the child care need is identified and should be on or before the date child care services are first provided. The authorization period is 12 full months, ending on the last day of the twelfth month.
(Example: Authorization start date: July 1, 2024. Authorization end date: July 31, 2025).
Families whose services end with Children’s Division during any 12-month authorization period will remain eligible to receive the child care subsidy until that authorization period expires, as long as the child remains in their care, even after Children’s Division is no longer involved. There is no additional documentation or action that needs to be taken by the family or by Children’s Division when the family’s services end with Children’s Division. The family may choose to end their Protective Services Child Care Subsidy in the CCDS – Parent Portal at any time.
If the child should move under the care of a different individual and child care remains a need, the new caregiver must complete their own application in the CCDS – Parent Portal and Children’s Division must provide the applicant with a completed and signed Child Care Subsidy Verification Letter (CD-317).
Through the CCDS – Parent Portal, DESE will provide instructions to the applicant at 60 and 30 days prior to their authorization end date. If child care is still a need and the child continues to qualify for Protective Services Child Care Subsidy, the applicant must reapply through the CCDS – Parent Portal. The worker must provide a new Child Care Subsidy Verification Letter (CD-317) with new eligibility dates, ideally 30 days prior to the current authorization end date to be uploaded in the CCDS – Parent Portal during their renewal application. There should be no gap in dates from one eligibility period end date to the next eligibility period begin date.
(Example: Authorization end date: June 30, 2024. Eligibility start date: July 1, 2024).
When the Protective Services Child Care Subsidy authorization period ends, and the situation no longer meets Protective Services Child Care Subsidy eligibility requirements, the applicant may apply for subsidized child care by completing a Family Application in the CCDS – Parent Portal. Additional eligibility requirements must be met to qualify. Eligibility requirements can be found here: Child Care Subsidy Information for Families | Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Additional Resources
The full policy, additional information and resources on the Protective Services Child Care Subsidy Process may be found in CWM 8.7.3 (Protective Services Child Care).