Help paying for child care in Connecticut
Care 4 Kids, run by the state’s Office of Early Childhood, helps families with low to moderate incomes pay for child care. It pays a licensed center or family or group home, a school-based program the state has inspected, or certain relatives who care for your child. Your family pays a share based on your income.
Who may qualify
- You live in Connecticut.
- Your child is under 13, or under 19 with special needs.
- Parents are working, or in an approved education or training activity.
- Your family’s income is less than these amounts, for new applications from Oct 1, 2026:
| People in family | Yearly income under | Monthly income under |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $48,714 | $4,059.50 |
| 2 | $63,703 | $5,308.55 |
| 3 | $78,692 | $6,557.65 |
| 4 | $93,681 | $7,806.75 |
| 5 | $108,669 | $9,055.80 |
| 6 | $123,658 | $10,304.90 |
| 7 | $126,469 | $10,539.10 |
| 8 | $129,279 | $10,773.30 |
| 9 | $132,090 | $11,007.50 |
| 10 | $134,900 | $11,241.70 |
| 11 | $137,711 | $11,475.90 |
| 12 | $140,521 | $11,710.10 |
Source: Care 4 Kids income guidelines for new applications. These are 60% of Connecticut’s state median income. Care 4 Kids makes the final decision.
What families pay
Your share is a percentage of your family’s income, set by how it compares with the state median: nothing under 20%, 3% from 20% to 40%, 5% from 40% to 60%, and 7% from 60% to 85%. Care 4 Kids pays the program at its own weekly rates, so ask the program what you’d owe each week.
Source: Care 4 Kids family share.
How to apply
- Check whether you may qualify with the Care 4 Kids pre-screener.
- Create a CT.gov login and apply on the Care 4 Kids parent portal.
- Care 4 Kids reviews your application and tells you what happens next.
- Choose a program. The state doesn’t publish which programs take Care 4 Kids, so ask each one.
Since March 2023, Care 4 Kids has placed many new applicants who work, study or are in workforce training on an enrollment list, inviting families off it as space opens. Some families, including those receiving Temporary Family Assistance and teen parents in high school, are processed right away. Ask whether the list is in use when you apply.