Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, requires the department to administer childcare and development programs that offer a full range of services to eligible children from infancy to 13 years of age, inclusive. Existing law designates the department as the single state agency responsible for the promotion, development, and provision of care of children in the absence of their parents during the workday. Existing law defines “workday” for purposes of the act to mean the time that a parent requires temporary care for a child for specified reasons, including to undertake training in preparation for a job or to undertake or retain a job.

This bill would revise “workday” to additionally include the time that a parent requires temporary care for a child to search for a job, provide care for oneself during a pregnancy-related leave from work, or provide care for a family member during a period of paid family leave. The bill would also additionally define “parental incapacity” to mean the temporary or permanent inability of a child’s parent or parents to provide care and supervision of the child for any part of the day, including due to specified conditions.

Existing law requires that parents meet at least one specified requirement in specified areas, including that they are a current aid recipient, income eligible, and the family needs the childcare services because the parents are engaged in vocational training or incapacitated or are employed or seeking employment.