Absence – Any day an authorized child is not in attendance when the child care facility is open for business and other children are receiving child care services.
Abuse – Any physical injury, sexual abuse, or emotional abuse inflicted on a child other than by accidental means by those responsible for the child’s care, custody, and control except that discipline including spanking, administered in a reasonable manner, shall not be construed to be abuse.
Accreditation – A process by which a child care provider may demonstrate that she or he successfully meets standards based on a national scale of professional quality child care or education.
Adjusted Gross Income – Gross income minus adjustments to income approved by the Division.
Administration for Children and Families (ACF) – A division of the federal Department of Health & Human Services that promotes the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities.
Agency Error – When Child Care Subsidy is incorrectly paid on behalf of a participant due to an action by the Division.
Annual Re-application – Each applicant’s need and eligibility for Child Care Subsidy must be reviewed and documented every twelve (12) months.
Applicant – A person applying to be a recipient of Child Care Subsidy.
Approval/Change Notice – A letter generated by FAMIS issued to the child care provider and participant indicating that an action has been completed on a case affecting a child for which he/she is providing care.
Authorization Period – The period of up to one (1) year in which a child is authorized for child care services.
Child – Any person, regardless of physical or mental condition, under eighteen (18) years of age.
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) – A food assistance program that improves the nutrient intake of Missourians by providing reimbursement for meals that meet minimum nutritional standards served in approved facilities. More information is available at http://health.mo.gov/living/wellness/nutrition/foodprograms/cacfp/index.php.
Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) – Funding provided by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Child Care to states to assist low-income families in obtaining child care so they can work or attend training/education.
Child Care Aware of Missouri – An agency that works to connect families to child care, early learning programs, and programs for after-school/out-of-school time, improve the quality of those programs, and collaborate with business and civic leaders to make child care safe and enriching for children. More information may be found at http://mo.childcareaware.org/.
Child Care Business Information Solution (CCBIS) – the electronic attendance collection system provided by the Department.
Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) – program established as part of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) of 2014 to provide funding and support to low-income families needing child care assistance, so they are able to work and/or attend job training or participate in educational programs.
Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) – federal law which authorizes and provides funding to the CCDF program.
Child Care Facility – A child care center, family child care home, or group child care home, whether known or incorporated under another title or name.
Child Care Online Invoice System (CCOIS) – A web-based application that provides a means for providers who receive reimbursement from the Department of Social Services (DSS) for child care services to receive a monthly invoice, enter and submit child attendance, and request payment. Available at https://dssapp.dss.mo.gov/ccoip/wbFMB9LogonCCInv.asp.
Child Care Provider – A child care center, family home, or group home, whether known or incorporated under another title or name, that provides child care services.
Child Care Provider Approval/Change Notice (CD-155/FA-155) – A letter issued to a child care provider advising of the opening, closing, or change to a parent/guardian’s child care case.
Child Care Provider Error – Child Care Subsidy is incorrectly paid on behalf of a participant due to an action or inaction by the child care provider.
Child Care Provider Payment Resolution Request (CD-147) – The form child care providers shall submit for payment issues and/or discrepancies to be reviewed by the Department of Social Services (DSS).
Child Care Registration Unit (CCRU) – The unit within the Children’s Division’s Early Childhood Section responsible for the registration of six or fewer (SOF) and license exempt child care providers.
Child Care Payment Unit – The unit within the Children’s Division’s Early Childhood Section that is responsible for payments and payment discrepancies.
Child Care Protective Services Authorization Unit – The unit with in the Children’s Division Early Childhood Section that is responsible for entering the daycare authorizations of Protective Service children.
Child Care Services – The care, custody, control, supervision, and guidance of a child for compensation, for periods of less than twenty-four (24) hours but more than one-half (1/2) hour per day in a licensed/contracted or registered facility.
Child Care Subsidy Program – The provision of financial assistance for child care services through the payment of full or partial child cost, based on a sliding fee scale, to enable families to obtain and retain employment or the skills necessary to obtain employment, with the ultimate goal being to break the cycle of poverty.
CDA, Child Development Association – The CDA® is a credential that early childhood educators can earn to demonstrate certain competencies and, in turn, can help them advance their careers. The Child Development Associate credential is carefully administered to ensure that those who earn it know how to put important ECE understandings into practice. CDA educators know how to nurture the emotional, physical, intellectual and social development of children.
Child Welfare Services – Also referred as “Protective Services”, shall mean services provided to any child, regardless of age, who is authorized child care by the Departments part of a plan for the treatment of child abuse or neglect. Child Welfare Services are administered by the Missouri Department of Social Services, Children’s Division. Child Welfare Services includes, but are not limited to, Alternative Care (Foster Care), Family Centered Services, and Intensive In-Home Services.
Child with Special Needs – A child under the age of eighteen (18)(up to and including the month they turn eighteen (18), or under age nineteen (19) and still in school (up to and including the month they graduate high school), if graduation occurs prior to their nineteenth (19) birthday, and meets one or more of the following criteria: Receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits based on their own disability, receives verifiable services through the Department of Mental Health, has a verifiable physical or mental disability or delay, is a Protective Services child, or is under court-ordered supervision.
Citizenship – Any individual born in the United States is a U.S. citizen, including children whose parent’s are not U.S. citizens, such as undocumented alien parents, parents with student visas, or parents with lawful temporary residence status.
Claims Accounting and Restitution System (CARS) (Client) – Captures over-payments for child care clients and tracks payments received for a child care client claim.
Claims Accounting and Restitution System (CARS) (Provider) – Captures over-payments for child care providers and tracks payments received for a child care provider claim.
Consanguinity – Relationship by descent from a common ancestor; kinship.
Co-Payment – The amount paid to the child care provider by the parent when the child care provider’s rate for care is higher than the maximum rate paid by the Department. Households eligible for Child Care Subsidy through the Family Support Division (FSD) must negotiate this co-payment directly with the child care provider.
Contracted Provider – A provider that is licensed to provide child care by the Department of Health and Senior Services, Section for Child Care Regulation (DHSS/SCCR) and has a contract with the Department of Social Services (DSS) to provide child care services to children eligible for Child Care Subsidy.
Daytime Care –Begins at 6:00 a.m. and ends at 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Departmental Client Number (DCN) – A computer-generated 8-digit number assigned to individuals for identification purposes.
Departmental Vendor Number (DVN) – A computer-generated 9-digit number assigned to vendors/providers for identification purposes.
Disproportionate Share – A thirty percent (30%) increase over the base rate and is specific to the provider. A provider is eligible for this increase if the number of subsidized children is at least fifty percent (50%) of the total number of children in their care.
Division – The Children’s Division (CD) of the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS).
EDUCARE – Provides resources, technical assistance, and training opportunities at free or reduced costs to child care providers with an emphasis on registered family home providers. More information may be found at https://dss.mo.gov/cd/child-care/child-care-providers/educare.htm.
Eligibility Unit (EU) – The individuals, based on age and relationship, whose needs and income are considered when determining eligibility for Child Care Subsidy.
Evening Care –Begins or ends within the designated timeframe of 7:01 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. regardless of the day of the week.
Facility Sponsor – Any facility employee designated by the child care provider to sign a child out of care to go to school or school-like activity and sign a child in to care after school or a school-like activity.
Family Assistance Management Information System (FAMIS) – A mainframe-based system used for determining client eligibility and processing business functions for income eligibility programs in Missouri. More information may be found at https://dssintranet.mo.gov/dss-fsd-training-site/casework-reference-guide-crg/famis-fundamentals-crg-table-of-contents/.
Family Care Safety Registry (FCSR) – A database that helps to ensure that persons who care for children, the elderly, and the physically or mentally disabled can be screened for employment purposes for criminal history, sex offender history, state employee disqualification, and adverse child care and foster care licensing actions. More information may be found at https://webapp01.dhss.mo.gov/bsees/Main.aspx?sk=SK1873127428.
Family Support Division (FSD) – The division within the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) responsible for determining participant eligibility for income maintenance programs, including, but not limited to, Child Care Subsidy, the Food Stamp Program, and MO HealthNet. More information may be found at https://mydss.mo.gov/.
Fraud – Providing misrepresentation of information that one knows is not true so one can gain benefits or payments which one is not eligible to receive.
Full Time Unit of Care – Shall be any combination of hours of care equaling at least five (5) hours and up to twelve (12) hours in the calendar day.
Functional Age – The age at which a child functions that is below his/her chronological age as determined by a doctor or psychologist.
Half Time Unit of Care – Shall be any combination of hours of care equaling at least three (3) hours and up to five (5) hours in the calendar day.
Hearing – A formal presentation before an attorney (hearing officer) of evidence and testimony regarding an action taken by the Department of Social Services (DSS).
Hearing Rights – The legal due process of the participant to be provided a fair hearing upon request.
Holiday – Any day a facility is closed for any reason during normal operating hours and no children are in care. This includes holidays, facility closing due to inclement weather or a provider vacation.
Household – The individuals that reside in the home that are considered part of the eligibility unit.
Incapacitated Parent – A participant with a verified, diagnosed physical or mental disability that renders the parent unable to care for the child or maintain employment.
Income Eligible Family – includes any child who is authorized child care by the Department as a plan to assist low income families administered by the Family Support Division.
Infant – Includes any child under the age of two (2) years.
In-Home Care – Child care provided in the child’s home.
Intentional Program Violation – The receipt of any benefit through the wrongful acquisition or issuance of Child Care Subsidy payment for child care services by the Department through false representation or concealment of material facts by the participant, eligibility units, child care provider or any other representatives.
KinderConnect – The child care provider portal that allows child care providers the ability to manage attendance and view child care subsidy information.
KinderSign – An application on a Point of Service (POS) device that enables a parent or sponsor to enter attendance electronically with a 10 digit number and an individually selected secure identifier for checking the child into or out of care.
KinderSmart – A smartphone application that enables a parent or sponsor to record attendance electronically with their own personal registered smartphone.
Licensed Child Care Center – A facility other than the provider’s permanent residence or separate from the provider’s living quarters licensed by the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) where care is provided.
Licensed Family Child Care Home – A family home, occupied as a permanent residence by the child care provider that is licensed to provide care to no more than ten (10) unrelated children for any part of the twenty-four (24)-hour day.
Licensed Group Child Care Home – A facility other than the provider’s permanent residence or separate from the provider’s living quarters that is licensed to provide care for 11 but no more than 20 children not related to the child care provider for any part of the 24-hour day.
Mandated Reporter – Any individual, outlined in RSMo sections 210.109 to 210.183, required to report the suspicion of child abuse and neglect to the Children’s Division’s Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline at 1-800-392-3738 (TDD 1-800-669-8689).
Maximum Base Rate – The amount paid to the child care provider based on the age of the child for whom child care services are requested, hours of care requested, the facility type requested, and the applicable geographic area of the state.
Medical Professional – A physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, or licensed professional counselor.
Missouri Professional Development Identification (MOPD ID) – An individual identification number assigned to early childhood, afterschool, and youth development professionals that allows them to access the Missouri Professional Development (MOPD) Registry. More information may be found at https://www.openinitiative.org/Content.aspx?file=Home.txt.
Missouri Professional Development (MOPD) Registry –The MOPD Registry system working in partnership with the Workshop Calendar and the AfterSchool Network, collects and stores professional development data collection for early childhood, afterschool, and youth development professionals in Missouri. More information may be found at https://www.openinitiative.org/Content.aspx?file=Registry.txt.
Missouri Work Assistance (MWA) Program – A program that requires Temporary Assistance (TA) participants age 18 or older and teen parents under age 18 to begin self-sufficiency planning and move from TA to work as quickly as possible unless they meet an exemption or exclusion to participate in work requirements.
Missouri Workshop Calendar – An online calendar of clock hour training approved by the Department of Health and Senior Services/Section for Child Care Regulation (DHSS/SCCR) that child care providers may attend in order to meet their annual training requirement.
Monthly Management Report (MMR) – A monthly publication detailing information about children and families accessing Child Care Subsidy in Missouri. These are available at http://dss.mo.gov/re/.
Operating Agreement – Is a document used by Limited Liability Corporations to outline the business’ financial and functional decisions including rules, regulations, and provisions.
Opportunities in a Professional Education Network (OPEN) – Administers projects that support an integrated and seamless career development system for Missouri’s early childhood, after school, and youth development professionals. More information is available at https://www.openinitiative.org/Content.aspx?file=Home.txt.
Out-of-Home Investigation (OHI) Unit – Investigators who complete investigations for reports that allege abuse or neglect occurred outside the family home in facilities such as foster homes, licensed and registered child care homes and centers, residential facilities, and private and public schools.
Overpayment – Any benefit or payment received in an amount greater than the amount the participant or child care provider is entitled to receive.
Parent/Caretaker – May be any of the following: biological relationship whose parental rights have not been terminated, marital relationship (step-parent), adoption, legal guardian, or another person standing in loco parentis for the child.
Parental Choice – Providing parents of a child eligible for or receiving Child Care Subsidy the right to enroll their child with the child care provider of their choice that has a contract or registration agreement with the Children’s Division (CD).
Participant – A parent/caretaker participating in the Child Care Subsidy program.
Part Time Unit of Care – Shall be any combination of hours of care equaling at least one-half (1/2) hour and up to three (3) hours in the calendar da.
Pre-school Age – Includes any child at least two (2) but less than five (5) years of age.
Promissory Note – A written, dated, and signed promise by one party to pay money to another party on demand or at a specified future date.
Protective Services (PS) Child Care – Child Care purchased in either a licensed child care center or licensed child day care home to provide care for children receiving services for the treatment or prevention of child abuse and/or neglect.
Qualified Alien – An alien who, at the time he/she applies for, receives, or attempts to receive a federal public benefit meets the criteria outlined at 2010.025.00 CITIZENSHIP of the Child Care Subsidy Manual.
Rate Differential – An additional amount paid to a child care provider over and above the state maximum rate.
Recoupment – That portion of a provider’s current payment that is withheld in order to repay a previous overpayment.
Registered Provider – A child care provider granted license exempt status by either by DHSS or DSS that meets all of the requirements with the Department of Social Services (DSS) to provide child care to subsidy-eligible children.
Religious/Religious In Compliance (RIC) – Child care facility that has been inspected and determined by the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to be in compliance with license-exempt rules.
Residency – The act, at the time of initial application and reapplication for Child Care Subsidy, of residing and intending to remain on a permanent basis in Missouri.
Resource and Referral (R&R) Agency – Regional and/or subcontracted agencies that provide consumer services and training to child care providers.
Restitution – Repayment of debt owed to the agency due to an overpayment.
Sam Pratt’s Law – Section 544.456 RSMo allows any court involved in a case of abuse, neglect, or death of a child to prohibit the child care provider from providing child care services for compensation pending final disposition of the case.
School Age – Includes any child five (5) years of age or older.
Section for Child Care Regulation (SCCR) – The unit within the Department of Health and Senior Services DHSS)/Regulation and Licensure that licenses and regulates child care facilities in Missouri. More information is available at http://health.mo.gov/safety/childcare/index.php.
Simplified Reporting – Certain changes to an eligibility unit is not required to be reported. If those changes are reported, actions to reduce the benefit will be disregarded until the end of the eligibility period. If the changes cause an increase in benefits, actions will be taken to benefit the family.
Six or Fewer – A provider who is caring for six or fewer children whose license-exempt status is determined by the Department of Social Services (DSS).
Sliding Fee – Is the income eligible family’s share of the child care cost, based on the eligibility unit’s income and household size. The provider must collect the sliding fee as part of the provider’s child care subsidy payment.
Sponsor – Any person designated by a parent or guardian to sign a child in to care and/or out of care in the electronic attendance system.
State Plan – A report to the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) that outlines Missouri’s plan to administer its Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) dollars over the next two fiscal years.
Subsidy Orientation Training (SOT) – An online, 1 clock-hour credit, self-paced training program that exposes child care providers to basic information about the Child Care Subsidy program.
Summer Programs – A program operated from May to September with the primary function of providing a summer recreational program for children no younger than five (5) years of age; cannot provide care for children younger than five (5) year of age in the same building or outdoor play area as the summer camp.
Temporary Assistance (TA) – A program that provides cash assistance and case management to needy families with children so the children can be cared for in their own home and to reduce dependency by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage. More information can be found at https://mydss.mo.gov/temporary-assistance.
Transitional Child Care (TCC) – Allows some families who are currently receiving Child Care Subsidy to be eligible for continued benefits when their income increases and becomes greater than the regular Child Care Subsidy maximum allowance.
Unit of Care – The portion of one calendar day, either full-, half-, or part-time, that a child spends in care paid to one provider, depending on the verified schedule of the participant.
Unintentional Violations – Child Care Subsidy is incorrectly paid on behalf of a participant due to incorrect action or inaction, but not concealment or material facts by the participant.
Valid Need for Care – In order to be eligible for Child Care Subsidy, the parent of the child who is to receive Child Care Subsidy must have a need for such care considered to be valid per current policy.
Weekend Care –Begins or ends within the designated times of Saturday morning at 6:00 A.M. to Sunday evening at 7:00 P.M. Eligibility for evening/weekend maximum base rates are only valid when a facility is licensed to operate within the evening/weekend time designations as specified herein.