Butte County Subsidized Child Care
Centralized Eligibility List
(CEL)

What is the Butte County Centralized Eligibility List (CEL)?

The CEL is designed to serve as a single “waiting list” for eligible parents to receive subsidized care and enrichment programs in Butte County. Families are entered on the CEL with a phone call.

What Is Subsidized child care?

Subsidized child care supports families by providing child care and enrichment services at low or no cost. There are dedicated centers, home visit programs, and voucher type programs.

Types of Full Day Programs

• Subsidized centers
  Children are enrolled with a full-time or part-time schedule in a specific subsidized centers that offers:
  
  • A better adult to child ratio than most private centers,
  • A focus on your child’s development & individual needs,
  • Opportunity for parent involvement in the program.
    
• Child care payment program
  Parents choose the child care situation that best meets their needs and the provider is reimbursed for the child care.

Types of Partial Day Programs

• Center based
  Some centerbased programs such as Head Start and State Preschool provide part-day enrichment programs for the child that do not require the parent to be in an activity outside the home.
• Home based programs
  Some families with younger children or remote residences are better served by a teacher coming into the home to provide enrichment activities for the children.

How do I know if I qualify for subsidized child care?

First, you have to meet eligiblity requirements based on your family size compared to income. Call to find out if you qualify.

Second, for full day programs there must be a need for child care for one or more of the following reasons:

• Employed,
• Enrolled in school/training program leading to a recognized occupation,
• Incapacited and unable to care for your child(ren) for part of the day,
• Referred by a social service agency because of abuse or neglect.

For partial day enrichment programs parents are not required to be involved in any activity (work, school, etc).