| Louisiana.gov > DCFS > Parenting | High Contrast Version | Text Size: |   |
For Parents
 |
TOTS is the electronic time and attendance process that DCFS uses to keep track of the time your child spends in care with your child care provider. Beginning in Summer 2010, if you participate in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), you will be required to check your child in and out of care each day your child is in care using the electronic process used by your child care provider in order for CCAP to pay for your child care. |
|
|
|
|
Latest Information
|
|
|
|
|
| Who has to do this? Households who participate in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). What do I have to do? When TOTS begins at your child's day care center, you must check your child in and out of care each day using the electronic process used by your child care provider in order for CCAP payments to be made to your provider on your behalf. |
How does it work? TOTS uses finger imaging (similar to that used in some school lunch programs) or Interactive Voice Response (similar to the LaHELPU number) as the way to keep track of your child's attendance. A finger image is not a finger print. Finger imaging is a way that measures physical characteristics and converts this into a numeric code to identify a person. This information will not be shared with any other state or federal agency. |
|
|
|
| Who can check my child in and out of care? You will be able to choose up to three other people to check your child in and out of child care or to check your child in and out of your child care facility's vehicle for you. The people that you appoint to check your child in and out of care are called Household Designees. At a later date, you will be able to appoint a Household Designee by completing and returning a Household Designee Authorization form to the agency. A Household Designee represents you. If your Household Designee does not properly check your child in and out of child care or your child care facility's vehicle every time care has started or ended, CCAP will not pay for child care for your child. Your Household Designee must be an adult and cannot be your child care provider. The Household Designee should be someone that may pick up ALL the children on your CCAP case. If you choose care in a child care setting that uses finger imaging as a way to keep track of your child's attendance, each Household Designee must have a finger image scan done before they will be able to check your child in and out of care or an approved child care vehicle.
|
How will I check my child in and out of care? The way you check your child in and out of care depends on the type of provider that cares for your child. Some child care settings will use finger imaging to keep track of your child's attendance:
Some child care settings will use an Interactive Voice Response (with a specific landline telephone) to keep track of your child's attendance:
Calling the Interactive Voice Response System is simple! Call a toll free telephone number (which will be provided to you at a later date) each time you check your child in and out of care, follow the instructions, and the system will keep track of your child's attendance. |
|
|
|
| What happens next? If your child is cared for in a:
If your child is cared for in:
If you and your Household Designee do not properly check your child in and out of care each time care is provided, CCAP will not pay for your child care and you will be responsible for payment to your child care provider.
|
|
