News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS) will raise weekly reimbursements rates next month for participants of the state’s Child Care Certification Program.
Department Commissioner Danielle Barnes said the increase provides additional support for child care providers and the parents they serve.
“One thing we know for sure is that our partners in the field have been providing this with little increase or little support over the last, at least, 10 years,” Barnes said. “Having this increase will be able to allow us to have higher quality and better access across the state of Tennessee.”
Providers will receive a 35 percent increase for infant and toddler care, as well as an additional 20 percent in preschool and school-age child care each week.
Barnes said providing additional and better-quality care will be beneficial to parents who participate in the program.
“What we hope this means for parents, is that this will give parents more options and more availability to early quality childhood education,” Barnes said. “What we know for sure is that parents need to feel a level of comfort when they drop their children off at a daycare.”
DHS released a statement saying the rate increase is designed to provide more options for working parents and those receiving post-secondary education.
The Department’s press release states nearly 1,500 of the total 4,200 child care providers across Tennessee currently participate in the Child Care Certification Program.
