Last updated: May 19, 2026
Bottom line
Delaware’s main child care subsidy is called Purchase of Care, often shortened to POC. It can help pay a licensed or approved child care provider while you work, look for work, go to school, take approved training, or meet a special need for you or your child.
Most families start through Delaware ASSIST. You can also apply through a local DSS office. If care is urgent, ask about presumptive child care.
This is not a cash grant paid to you. If approved, Delaware usually pays the provider. You may have a monthly copay, but the current state chart says copays are waived at or below 150% of the federal poverty level and are 7% of gross income above that range.
If you need child care right now
If work, school, training, shelter, or safety depends on child care, do not wait for every document. File first, then send missing papers quickly.
- Apply online through Delaware ASSIST, or use DSS offices if you need in-person help.
- Call DSS Customer Relations at 1-866-843-7212 if your application is stuck or you cannot reach your worker.
- Call My Child DE at 800-734-2388 for help finding providers and asking child care questions.
- If you need food, shelter, utility help, or another local referral at the same time, contact Delaware 211 by dialing 211, calling 1-800-560-3372, or texting your ZIP code to 898-211.
- If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 911. To report possible abuse or neglect at a child care facility, use Delaware’s 24-hour Child Abuse Report Line at 800-292-9582.
Where to start
Start with the problem you need to solve this week. A single mother who has a job offer for Monday needs a different first step than a mother looking for preschool for the fall.
I need help paying for daycare
Apply for Purchase of Care. If you do not have all papers yet, ask about presumptive child care and what proof DSS needs next.
I need a provider
Use the Delaware licensed child care search and call My Child DE. Ask each provider whether they accept POC before you enroll.
I have a 3- or 4-year-old
Check ECAP and Head Start, even if you also apply for POC. Free preschool seats are limited, so apply early.
I am dealing with more than child care
Use the local resource guide and Delaware 211 for food, rent, utility, clothing, and transportation referrals.
Quick reference table
| Need | Best first step | Good for | Reality check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Help paying for care | Apply for POC | Work, school, training, job search, or special need | You must choose an approved provider before payment can start. |
| Finding a provider | Use the state search | Centers, family child care homes, compliance history | Openings and schedules change. Call providers directly. |
| Free preschool | Check ECAP and Head Start | Preschoolers and some infants or toddlers through partner programs | Seats can fill, and school-year timing matters. |
| Immediate crisis | Call DSS and 211 | Child care plus food, shelter, utility, or family support needs | One office may not solve everything, so use more than one lane. |
Purchase of Care in Delaware
Purchase of Care is Delaware’s child care subsidy program. It helps with child care costs so a parent or caretaker can work, get training, meet a special need, or protect a child in certain abuse-related cases.
Delaware says child care services are generally for children under age 13. A child older than 13 may still qualify if the child has a documented special need. DSS links to Form 611 for child care medical certification from its child care page.
You usually need three things: income within the program rules, a reason you need child care, and a provider who can be authorized for subsidy payment. Delaware rules say approved care can include licensed, license-exempt, or self-arranged care, but the provider must be approved to receive Purchase of Care.
POC can be a major help, but it is not a guaranteed spot. ASMOM’s child care guide gives a broader national overview, but in Delaware you still need a provider that accepts subsidy and can cover your needed hours.
Income limits and copays for 2025-2026
Delaware’s current POC chart is labeled October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The chart lists the application limit at 200% of the federal poverty level, redetermination at 300% of the federal poverty level, and case closure if income goes above 85% of State Median Income or the family no longer has a need for child care.
Important: one sentence on the same DSS page still says the income limit is 185% of the federal poverty level. Because that sentence conflicts with the 2025-2026 chart, use the chart as your starting point and ask DSS to confirm if your income is close to the cutoff.
| Family size | Apply up to | Redetermination up to | Copay waived at or below | 85% SMI case-close cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,610 | $3,915 | $1,958 | $4,645 |
| 2 | $3,526 | $5,289 | $2,556 | $6,074 |
| 3 | $4,442 | $6,663 | $3,332 | $7,503 |
| 4 | $5,360 | $8,040 | $4,020 | $8,932 |
| 5 | $6,276 | $9,414 | $4,707 | $10,361 |
| 6 | $7,192 | $10,788 | $5,394 | $11,790 |
These are gross monthly income figures from the state chart. Bigger families have higher limits. The chart also says the copay is 7% of gross income between 150% and 300% of the federal poverty level.
How to apply for child care help
You can apply online, by phone with a worker, in person, by mail, by fax, or by email to the local DSS office. The fastest starting point for many families is Delaware ASSIST, because it can also connect you with SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, WIC, and LIHEAP screening.
- Start the application and choose child care services.
- Complete the interview by phone or in person when DSS contacts you.
- Send proof of income, child care need, and family information.
- Choose a provider and make sure the provider can accept POC.
- Read every notice and save screenshots, upload receipts, and call notes.
Delaware’s child care rules say DSS must process the application and complete the intake interview within two business days for parents or caretakers who need presumptive child care. Presumptive care is for families who appear eligible and need immediate child care but have not verified every mandatory item yet.
Documents to gather
| Document or information | Why DSS may ask | Practical tip |
|---|---|---|
| Photo ID and Delaware address | Identity and residency | If you are staying with someone, ask DSS what proof they will accept. |
| Pay stubs or income proof | Gross monthly income | Gather the last 30 days if possible. |
| Work, school, or training schedule | Need for care | A job offer or class schedule may help if care must start soon. |
| Child information | Age, household, and service need | Birth certificate, school record, or immunization record may help. |
| Provider name and license number | Authorization and payment | Ask the provider whether they already work with POC. |
| Special-needs paperwork | Older child or special care need | Ask DSS about Form 611 and who can complete it. |
Common mistakes that slow child care help
- Waiting for perfect paperwork. File first if care is urgent, then send missing proof.
- Choosing a provider too late. DSS cannot pay a provider until care is authorized.
- Assuming every center takes subsidy. Ask before enrolling and before signing a contract.
- Missing notices. Check ASSIST, mail, email, and voicemail often while your case is pending.
- Not reporting changes. Report changes in work, school, address, household, income, or provider quickly.
- Not asking about lower copay. Delaware rules say the copay must decrease if the family’s income goes down during the authorization period.
How to find safe, licensed child care
Use Delaware’s licensed care search before you enroll. It can show program details, recent cited concerns, and current enforcement actions.
The state search guide says the online record is not the full licensing history. You can ask OCCL about a file review.
When you call a provider, ask: “Do you have an opening for my child’s age and schedule? Do you accept Purchase of Care? Are there any fees the subsidy will not cover? What do I need to bring before my child starts?”
If you have a licensing concern, Delaware’s complaint page says OCCL investigates possible licensing violations, not fee disputes or personal disputes. For suspected abuse or neglect at a child care facility, call 800-292-9582.
Free preschool and early learning options
POC is not the only child care path. If your child is preschool age, pregnant-to-3, or has a disability or developmental delay, also check no-cost early learning programs.
ECAP
The Early Childhood Assistance Program, or ECAP, is Delaware’s state-funded preschool program through partner providers. The state’s ECAP partners page says families may apply if income is at or below the federal poverty level, the child is in foster care, the child is experiencing homelessness, or the child has documented delays or disabilities through an IFSP or IEP.
Head Start and Early Head Start
Head Start is a federal early learning program for eligible children from birth until kindergarten. Early Head Start can serve pregnant women and very young children. Delaware’s early care options page points families to Head Start, Early Head Start, ECAP, and First Start partnerships.
Use the federal Head Start locator to search by ZIP code, city, or state. Apply directly with the local program and ask about waitlists, transportation, school-day hours, full-day care, and whether the program can work with POC for extended care.
Backup options if POC is not enough
Child care problems often come with food, rent, transportation, or child support problems. Use these other paths at the same time instead of waiting for one case to finish.
- For food help, use ASMOM’s SNAP guide and apply through ASSIST if you have not already.
- For WIC, pregnancy, babies, and children under 5, see the WIC guide.
- For health coverage, check Medicaid help, especially if you are pregnant, postpartum, or your child is uninsured.
- If losing child care could make you miss rent or a shelter deadline, see Delaware emergency help.
- If your housing is unstable, use Delaware housing help.
- If you need support from the other parent, see Delaware child support.
- If you need job training, schedule support, or work help, start with job training help.
- If you paid for care so you could work, keep receipts and review ASMOM’s tax credit guide.
Tax and military child care help
If you pay for child care so you can work or look for work, the federal IRS care credit may lower your tax bill. Keep provider details and receipts.
Delaware also has a state credit equal to 50% of the federal credit, limited to the Delaware tax otherwise due. The Delaware credit law has the legal wording.
Military parents can check military fee help and MilitaryChildCare.com. Rules depend on branch, provider approval, and funding.
If your application is delayed, denied, or closed
First, find out what happened. Many child care cases stall because DSS needs a document, an interview, a provider choice, or proof of the hours you need care. Ask for the exact missing item and the deadline.
Use DSS forms if you need a paper application, rights information, or program documents. The state also posts DSS rules through the Delaware Social Services Manual, including subsidized child care rules.
If a notice says you were denied, closed, or given a copay you do not understand, ask DSS how to request a fair hearing and how long you have. Save the notice and call notes.
For backup steps while a case is being fixed, ASMOM’s emergency help guide can help with urgent bills and referrals.
Phone scripts
Calling DSS about a new POC application
“Hi, I’m applying for Purchase of Care child care assistance. I need care because of work, school, training, or another approved reason. Can you tell me what documents are missing, whether I can get presumptive child care, and how I should send proof today?”
Calling a child care provider
“Hi, I’m looking for care for a child age [age]. I need care [days and hours]. Do you have an opening, do you accept Purchase of Care, and are there any fees I would owe beyond my DSS copay?”
Calling My Child DE
“Hi, I need help finding child care near [ZIP code]. I may apply for Purchase of Care. Can you help me find licensed providers that may have openings and explain what questions I should ask?”
Calling 211 when child care affects housing or food
“Hi, I’m a single parent in Delaware. I’m trying to solve child care, but I also need help with [food, rent, utilities, transportation, or shelter]. What programs or local agencies should I contact today?”
Resumen en español
Delaware tiene un programa principal para ayudar a pagar el cuidado infantil. Se llama Purchase of Care, o POC. Normalmente el pago va al proveedor, no a la madre.
Puede solicitar por Delaware ASSIST o pedir ayuda en una oficina de DSS. Si necesita cuidado infantil rápido para trabajar, estudiar o entrenar, pregunte si puede recibir cuidado presuntivo mientras entrega documentos.
También revise Head Start, Early Head Start y ECAP si tiene un niño pequeño. Para encontrar proveedores con licencia, use la búsqueda oficial del estado o llame a My Child DE al 800-734-2388.
FAQ
What is Purchase of Care in Delaware?
Purchase of Care is Delaware’s child care subsidy program. It helps eligible families pay an approved provider so the parent or caretaker can work, get training, attend school, or meet certain special needs.
Can I apply if I am already working?
Yes. Working parents can apply if they meet the income and need rules. You may have a copay based on gross income, but the current chart waives copays for lower-income families.
Can Delaware help before all my documents are ready?
Possibly. Delaware rules allow presumptive child care for some families who need immediate care and appear eligible but still need to verify mandatory items. Ask DSS directly when you apply.
Does every daycare accept Purchase of Care?
No. Before you enroll, ask the provider whether they accept POC and whether they are approved for subsidy payment. Also ask about registration fees, transportation fees, or other charges.
Can I use Head Start and POC together?
Sometimes families use more than one early learning path, such as Head Start or ECAP for part of the day and POC for wraparound care. Ask the program and DSS how your child’s schedule can be covered.
What should I do if my application is denied?
Read the notice, ask what rule or missing proof caused the denial, and ask how to request a fair hearing. Keep copies of documents, screenshots, and call notes.
About this guide
This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.
A Single Mother is independent and is not a government agency, benefits office, lender, law firm, medical provider, or tax advisor.
Program rules, funding, local availability, and eligibility can change. Always confirm details with the official program before you apply or make decisions.
Verification: Last verified May 19, 2026, next review August 19, 2026.
Corrections: If you see something wrong or outdated, email suggestions@asinglemother.org with details.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It is not legal, financial, medical, tax, immigration, disability, safety, or government-agency advice.