United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2002-09-18 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:GAO-02-894 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-894 P0b002ee18037d4df f:d02894 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-894 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-894 GAO-02-894 Child care programs Disadvantaged persons Federal aid to states Federal/state relations Public assistance programs State-administered programs Subsidies Workfare Aid to Families with Dependent Children Program Other Written Product A04635 Federal welfare legislation passed in 1996 placed a greater emphasis on helping low-income families end dependence on government benefits by promoting job preparation and work. To reach this goal, the legislation gave states greater flexibility to design programs that use federal funds to subsidize child care for low-income families. Under the Child Care and Development Fund, this flexibility includes the freedom to largely determine which low-income families are eligible to receive child care subsidies. These maximum rates consist of two parts--a state subsidy and family co-payment. States also establish maximum reimbursement rates for child care. States reported considering market rate survey and budget and policy goals in setting maximum reimbursement rates. All states reported conducting market rate surveys in the past 2 years that obtained data on providers' fees, but 10 states reported that they did not base the reimbursement rates for child care providers on their most recent market rate surveys. In the nine communities visited, GAO calculated that hypothetical families' access to child care centers and family home providers varied widely as a result of the different subsidies and family co-payments established by each state. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-894/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-894.htm GAO-02-894 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-894 Other Written Product GAO-02-894; Child Care: States Exercise Flexibility in Setting Reimbursement Rates and Providing Access for Low-Income Children; Child care programs Disadvantaged persons Federal aid to states Federal/state relations Public assistance programs State-administered programs Subsidies Workfare Aid to Families with Dependent Children Program