What are the purposes of CCDF?

The law enhanced the statutory purposes of the CCDF program to better balance the dual purposes of promoting children’s healthy development and school success and to support parents who are working or in training or education: (new language indicated in bold)

1. to allow each State maximum flexibility in developing child care programs and policies that best suit the needs of children and parents within that State;
2. to promote parental choice to empower working parents to make their own decisions regarding the child care services that best suits their family’s needs;
3. to encourage States to provide consumer education information to help parents make informed choices about child care services and to promote involvement by parents and family members in the development of their children in child care settings;
4. to assist States in delivering high-quality, coordinated early childhood care and education services to maximize parents’ options and support parents trying to achieve independence from public assistance;
5. to assist States in improving the overall quality of child care services and programs by implementing the health, safety, licensing, training, and oversight standards established in this subchapter and in State law (including State regulations);
6. to improve child care and development of participating children; and
7. to increase the number and percentage of low-income children in high-quality child care settings.

(Reference: Section 658A(b))