What is the Child Care Food Program?

 

The Child Care Food Program (CCFP) is a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program designed to help children in care receive well-balanced meals. The program is available to children under  twelve (12) years of age.

 

Meals are one of the biggest expenses involved in providing child care. The CCFP helps offset this cost so providers can serve nutritious meals.

 

Siskiyou Child Care Council (SCCC) is a sponsoring organization for child care homes, and accepts final administrative and financial responsibility for child care homes under our sponsorship.

 

Objectives of the CCFP

 

• To improve the diet of children, age twelve and younger, by providing the children with nutritious, well-balanced meals.

• To assist in the development of good eating habits in children that will last through later years.

• To train child care providers in good nutrition practices.

 

What Kind of Meals Can I Serve?

 

Meal patterns are established by the USDA and follow the four basic food groups.  For children over one year, the meal pattern would be:

 

Breakfast:  (one of each of the following)

           Milk

           Vegetable, fruit, or 100% juice

           Bread or Bread Alternate

 

Snack: A.M. and P.M. (select two)

            Milk

            Meat or Meat Alternate

            Fruit or Vegetable

            Bread

 

Lunch and Supper:  (one of each of the following)

            Milk

            Meat/Meat Alternate

            Vegetable and/or fruit (two)

            Bread or Bread Alternate

 

 

How Many Meals Can I Claim?

 

You can claim up to three meals per day, per child for reimbursement:

2 Main Meals + 1 Snack

                    or

2 Snacks + 1 Main Meal

 

The reimbursement rate (Tier I or Tier II) is dependent upon facility location, provider income, or the income of families served. Providers may claim their own children under 10 years of age, if certain criteria is met.

 

What Recordkeeping is Required?

 

• Enrollment forms signed by the parent/guardian.

• Daily menus of food served.

• Number of enrolled children attending daily.

• Number of meals served, by type (breakfast, lunch, supper, snacks), to enrolled children.

 

What Benefits will I get from Participating in the Child Care Food Program?

• Receive cash reimbursement to help offset food cost.

• Receive information on nutrition and menu planning through annual trainings and home visits.

• Receive CCFP quarterly newsletter, “Food for Thought”.

 

What do I Need to Participate?

 

• You must have a current Family Child Care Home license or be a License Exempt (Trustline) Provider that meets SCCC criteria.

• You must serve nutritious, well-balanced meals that meet USDA requirements.

• You must keep records of what is served and the number of children who are present for each meal on CCFP forms, and send those forms on time to Siskiyou Child Care Council each month.

• You must attend one nutrition training workshop annually.

• You must allow your sponsor to monitor a meal service three times during each fiscal year.  All three of the monitoring visits must be unannounced