Nichols Highlights Child Care Assistance Program Expansion

CHICAGO – State Rep. Cyril Nichols, D-Chicago, is highlighting recent updates to the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) aimed at making child care more affordable for low-income residents.

“As many residents are returning to working in-person, it is essential to families in our community as well as our local economy to ensure that residents have access to affordable child care,” said Nichols. “The recent expansion to the Child Care Assistance Program will ensure that everyone will be able to afford quality child care regardless of their economic situation.”

With the recent changes to CCAP, many working families will see a reduction in their monthly child care costs. These changes include reducing monthly co-pays for child care to $1 per month for families at or below the Federal Poverty Limit, capping co-pays at 7% of family income, and increasing the number of families eligible for the program, among other changes. The expansion will also provide support to child care providers, with changes being made to provide more consistent payments to providers.

“As we continue to rebuild from the previous year, we must ensure that residents have the resources they need to return to normal life,” said Nichols. “I applaud the expansion of the CCAP, and I look forward to continuing my efforts to get support to those who need it most to ensure no one is left behind.”