By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Nearly three months have passed since Bright Beginnings Childcare Center held its ribbon cutting and open house, and nearly two months have passed since the center officially opened its doors. On Wednesday, Advancing Barton County Childcare announced that Bright Beginnings is now Department for Children and Families (DCF) certified. Bright Beginnings Program Director Kelsie Baxter said the certification will open the door for more families to utilize the center.
"Being DCF certified allows us to hopefully get more kids in the door. It just allows us to help out those families who need quality care as well. With us not being DCF approved, there was no way for DCF to help cover those costs, so parents were paying out of pocket until we got DCF approved," she said.
To gain the certification, a daycare provider must be licensed through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and have a current KDHE permanent license. Payments from DCF are made to families via a Kansas Benefits Card, which is used to pay the childcare provider.
Providers receive an eligibility notice when children in their care are approved for childcare subsidy benefits. The amount of the subsidy remains confidential unless a parent chooses to disclose the information. Benefits are based on needs and DCF benefit rates, and subsidy benefits typically do not cover the full cost of care.
For more information, contact Bright Beginnings at (620) 796-2392.