Allowable Activities 400-28-55-05
(Revised 4/1/2026 Release 26.2)
Caretakers must be participating in an allowable activity to be eligible for assistance under the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).
The following are allowable CCAP activities at application, review and after initial eligibility has been established:
Work
Work is an activity in which an individual is engaged through employment or self-employment. Work must entail personal involvement and effort on the part of the applicant or recipient.
The following are allowable work activities:
Paid employment - Paid employment must be considered suitable employment. Employment is suitable if it meets the following conditions:
The wage offered is not less than the highest of the applicable Federal minimum wage, the applicable State minimum wage, or 80% of the Federal minimum wage if neither the Federal nor State minimum wage is applicable (waiters/waitresses).
The employment is on a piece-rate basis, and the average hourly yield the employee can reasonably be expected to earn is not less than the highest of the applicable Federal minimum wage, the applicable State minimum wage or 80% of the Federal minimum wage if neither the Federal or State minimum wage is applicable.
Paid work studies, internships or assistantships (this includes when an individual is in a non-allowable postsecondary education program).
Self-employment
Note: Child care providers must be licensed, self-declared or registered by a tribe in order to be considered an allowable activity. Approved relative providers are not considered to be in an allowable activity.
Child care relating to an allowable education or training activity.
Allowable postsecondary education includes:
Certificate
Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree
CCAP may pay eligible child care costs for individuals pursing a certificate, Associate's degree or Bachelor’s degree provided the individual has not already earned a Bachelor’s degree.
NOTE: Payment of postsecondary educational related child care costs incurred by an individual who already has earned a Bachelor's degree is prohibited.
Required activities related to the pursuit of a post-secondary degree (student teaching, internships, etc.) may be considered allowable activities.
If an individual has already earned a certificate or Associate’s degree, eligible child care costs are allowed if the individual is continuing to pursue another allowable education activity and has not earned a Bachelor’s degree.
Attending high school or alternative high school or pursuing a GED is an allowable activity even if the individual is not participating in Crossroads.
Traditional high school "attendance" is defined by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) as:
Full-time - 4 or more classes
Part-time - less than 4 classes
Attendance in an alternative high school setting for full-time/part-time as identified by the school
GED may be full-time/part-time.
If a high school diploma or GED is not required to receive a certificate, it is considered training and is not considered postsecondary education.
Example: A Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) certificate is NOT considered postsecondary education as a high school diploma is not required to receive a CNA certificate.
Allowable training includes, but is not limited to:
Basic remedial education.
Training designed to assist an individual to achieve basic literacy.
Training needed to secure or retain employment which includes skills and technology training.
Vocational training (trade school or career school).
Individuals who are participating in classes for English as a second language.
Internet Classes – Child care related to completing on-line computer classes that meets the allowable education or training requirements is an allowable activity.
Vocational Rehabilitation education plans must follow CCAP education requirements.
Child care needed for a parents participation in ARSEN.
Activity search is an allowable activity at application or review. Child care for activity search must be allowed for three full consecutive months within an eligibility period.
When a household applies and only has activity search as an allowable activity, up to 15 hours per week (part time level of care) can be approved for the caretaker. Travel and break time hours are not allowed.
In households with two caretakers, if one caretaker is in an allowable activity and the other is not, the case can be approved and the caretaker without an allowable activity will be allowed 15 hours of allowable activity per week.
Example 1:
Mom applies for CCAP on June 16th and had a job at the time of application. The case is approved based on mom's work schedule. Mom reports on September 13th that she lost her job an is now job searching. Child care can be allowed for the time mom searches for a job.
Example 2:
Dad applies for CCAP on October 2nd listing his allowable activities as education and job search. The application can be approved for education and job search hours
For activity search to start in an on-going case, a caretaker must have a non-temporary loss of all of their activities. A non-temporary loss of allowable activity is any loss of activity that is not time limited (two week, one month, etc.) and the individual does not anticipate returning to that activity. Child care for activity search must be allowed for three full consecutive months within an eligibility period once a caretaker loses their allowable activity.
When a household includes two caretakers, each caretaker is eligible for three consecutive months of activity search within a certificate period. The level of care that was effective before the loss of activity cannot be reduced and must continue through the three allowable months of activity search. Verification of activity search hours is not required.
A household may be allowed more than one period of three full consecutive months of activity search within an eligibility period.
Exception:
TANF recipients must follow the JOBS program guidelines, therefore, the three full consecutive month limitation does not apply to TANF recipients who are participating in the JOBS program when their JOBS employment plan includes any type of activity search
When a household reports a non-temporary loss of activity, the three months of continued assistance will begin in the month after the change occurred.
Example 3:
Household was approved for CCAP starting August 1st through July 31st at the full time level of care with employment as an allowable activity. On October 12th, the household reports that they lost their employment as of October 5th. The household’s three full months of continued assistance will begin in the month of November. The household remains eligible for the full time level for the months of October, November, December and January. On December 20th, the household reports that they have found new employment. Since the household found a new allowable activity before the end of the three full consecutive month period, the household remains eligible. The full time level of care continues through the remainder of the certificate period, even if the household reports a decrease in allowable activity hours based on the new employment, based on policy at ‘Determining the Level of Care 400-28-80-50.’ The co-pay may be decreased if the household reports that there is a reduction in income based on the new employment based on policy at ‘When Income and Allowable Income Deductions are Verified and Changed 400-28-75-50.’
If a case closes after the household has used their three full months of activity search, and the household reapplies for CCAP and reports activity search, the household is not eligible for another three full months of activity search until a period of three months has passed.
Example 4:
Household was approved for CCAP starting August 1st through July 31st at the part time level of care with education as an allowable activity. On October 12th, the household reports that they are no longer in an educational activity as of September 15th. The household’s three full months of continued assistance will begin in the month of October. The household remains eligible for the part time level for the months of September, October, and November, and December.
On November 3rd the household reports that they now have employment as an allowable activity. Since the household found a new allowable activity before the end of the three full consecutive month period, the household remains eligible. The household reports an increased need in the level of care based on allowable activity hours. The level of care can be increased to the full time level of care based on policy at ‘Determining the Level of Care 400-28-80-50.’
The co-pay may be decreased if the household reports that there is a reduction in income based on the new employment as per policy at ‘When Income and Allowable Income Deductions are Verified and Changed 400-28-75-50.’
On March 18th, the household reported that they lost their employment as of March 11th and no longer have any allowable activity. Since the household reported the loss of activity, the household’s is allowed another three full months of continued assistance that will begin the month of April. The household remains eligible for the full time level for the months of March, April, May and June.
The household does not report by June 10th that they now have an allowable activity. Verification of an allowable activity must be requested, and the case may be set to close at the end of June. If no verifications are received by June 30th, the case is closed, and the household must reapply.
The household reapplies on July 15th with the only activity reported as activity search. The application is denied.
The household reapplies on November 12th with the only activity reported as activity search. The household is now eligible for three full months of activity search.
A temporary change in a caretakers ongoing activity of work, education, or training is allowable and is not time limited. A temporary change can include, but is not limited to:
Any time-limited absence from work for an employed caretaker for an illness or to care for a family member.
Any interruption in work for a seasonal worker who is not working between regular industry work seasons.
Any student holiday or break for a caretaker participating in training or education.
Any reduction in work, training, or education hours, as long as the caretaker is still working or attending training or education.
Any other break of work or attendance at a training or education program.
Parental leave, including maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
Parental Leave includes maternity, paternity and adoption leave. Parental leave is considered a temporary change at application and review when the parental leave time frame is verified by the employer. Verification is not needed in an ongoing case, as long as the caretaker intends to return to their employment, education or training.
Child care for parental leave is allowed for a minimum of three full consecutive months within a certificate period. The household may be eligible for more than the three full consecutive months when the parental leave timeframe is verified by an employer in an ongoing case. The level of care must continue at the same level that was established before the caretaker went onto parental leave. No additional hours are allowed for travel and breaks.
Example 1:Household applies for CCAP on June 16th and had employment at the time of application. Household reports on September 13th that the caretaker is now on parental leave as of September 5th. Household also reports that the caretaker expects to return to employment December 1st. Since the household timely reported the parental leave, the household’s three full months of continued assistance will begin in the month of October. The household remains eligible at the already determined level of care through the three full consecutive month period, even though the household reports an expected return to employment prior to the end of the three month period.
Example 2:Household applies for CCAP on June 16th and had employment at the time of application. Household reports on September 13th that the caretaker is now on parental leave as of September 5th. Household also reports that the caretaker expects to return to employment February 1st. The household provides verification that they will return to employment as of February 1st. Since the household timely reported and verified the parental leave, the household continued assistance will begin in the month of October and continue until February 1st.
Example 3: Household applies for CCAP on May 5th listing the only allowable activity as parental leave, with employer verification that there is a plan to return to employment in 3 months. The application can be approved with parental leave as an allowable activity.
