[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 45, Volume 1]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 45CFR98.1]

[Page 529-530]
 
                        TITLE 45--PUBLIC WELFARE
 
                           AND HUMAN SERVICES
 
PART 98--CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT FUND--Table of Contents
 
               Subpart A--Goals, Purposes and Definitions
 
Sec. 98.1  Goals and purposes.


    (a) The goals of the CCDF are to:
    (1) Allow each State maximum flexibility in developing child care 
programs and policies that best suit the needs of children and parents 
within the State;
    (2) Promote parental choice to empower working parents to make their 
own decisions on the child care that best suits their family's needs;
    (3) Encourage States to provide consumer education information to 
help parents make informed choices about child care;
    (4) Assist States to provide child care to parents trying to achieve 
independence from public assistance; and
    (5) Assist States in implementing the health, safety, licensing, and 
registration standards established in State regulations.
    (b) The purpose of the CCDF is to increase the availability, 
affordability, and quality of child care services. The program offers 
Federal funding to States, Territories, Indian Tribes, and tribal 
organizations in order to:
    (1) Provide low-income families with the financial resources to find 
and afford quality child care for their children;
    (2) Enhance the quality and increase the supply of child care for 
all families, including those who receive no direct assistance under the 
CCDF;
    (3) Provide parents with a broad range of options in addressing 
their child care needs;
    (4) Strengthen the role of the family;
    (5) Improve the quality of, and coordination among, child care 
programs

[[Page 530]]

and early childhood development programs; and
    (6) Increase the availability of early childhood development and 
before- and after-school care services.
    (c) The purpose of these regulations is to provide the basis for 
administration of the Fund. These regulations provide that Lead 
Agencies:
    (1) Maximize parental choice through the use of certificates and 
through grants and contracts;
    (2) Include in their programs a broad range of child care providers, 
including center-based care, family child care, in-home care, care 
provided by relatives and sectarian child care providers;
    (3) Provide quality child care that meets applicable requirements;
    (4) Coordinate planning and delivery of services at all levels;
    (5) Design flexible programs that provide for the changing needs of 
recipient families;
    (6) Administer the CCDF responsibly to ensure that statutory 
requirements are met and that adequate information regarding the use of 
public funds is provided; and
    (7) Design programs that provide uninterrupted service to families 
and providers, to the extent statutorily possible.