The Child Development Division is pleased to share that it will make an additional Readiness Payment to participating child care providers in April.
Last July, the legislature passed Act 76 which appropriated $20 million dollars for distribution to child care providers that accept (or are willing to accept) Child Care Financial Assistance Program payments. Between September 2023 and February 2023, CDD distributed $17,547,977.25 to 806 regulated child care providers in monthly payments to support them to “get ready” to expansion of Child Care Financial Assistance and other changes in Act 76. Participating providers included registered and licensed family homes, center based care, and afterschool programs that care for 25,426 children in Vermont.
With the funds remaining for this program, CDD will make one additional and final Readiness Payment in April. There is no need to apply for this payment.
Child care providers participating in the Readiness Payment Program will receive a new award letter that reflect the final total award.
After providers receive the final award letter, CDD will email participating child care providers a link to a survey that asks about experiences with the program. If there are stories about how this money helped support quality and stability in your programs, please share them in the survey! We would love to report on the impact this investment had on Vermont’s early childhood education and afterschool programs and the dedicated workforce doing this important work.