FAQs

As a condition of payment, providers must maintain complete daily attendance records for all children receiving child care assistance (CCAP).

The attendance record must:

• Be accurate, legible, and completed daily
• Be kept at the site where services are delivered for six years after the date of service.   
• Be immediately available upon request to the county, Tribe, or the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).
• Include the:
  • Date
  • Each child’s first and last name
  • Each child’s drop-off and pick-up times

To the extent possible, drop-off and pick-up times must be entered by the person dropping off or picking up the child.

This means:

• The people dropping off and picking up a child (for example, the child’s parents, guardians, or trusted adults) are primarily responsible for entering in and out times on attendance records.
• The attendance record needs to show who entered each child’s in and out times.

For more information, see Minn. Stat. §§ 142E.16, subds. 7 & 8 and 142E.54.

Providers are responsible for:

• Ensuring that “to the extent possible” in and out times are recorded by the person dropping off and picking up the child.
• Educating families on their role in the attendance record process and taking the necessary steps to comply with the law. For example, you could consider having a staff person monitor the sign in/out process to make sure that parents record times daily.

Someone other than a parent, such as a teacher or a bus driver, may complete the attendance record under certain circumstances. For example, if:

• A parent occasionally forgets to enter drop-off and pick-up times on attendance records, as long as this is an infrequent occurrence.
• Children are transported to and from school on a bus.

Attendance records must be kept at the service location for six years and be made immediately available upon request by the CCAP agency or the state of Minnesota. Records that are not produced immediately cannot later be used to dispute overpayments or disqualifications.

These requirements are not changing on June 22, 2026.  However, beginning June 22, 2026, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) will also start requiring some providers to make their attendance records available to DCYF using the Enrollment & Attendance feature in the Provider Hub.  For more information, see questions 11 – 31

Failure to maintain accurate attendance records may result in overpayments or other negative actions, including losing eligibility for CCAP payments.

See Minnesota Statutes § 142E.16, subdivisions 7 and 8, Minnesota Statutes § 142E.51, subdivision 7, and Minnesota Statutes § 142E.54, subdivisions 1 and 2.

No.

Until June 22, 2026, attendance records collected using the Enrollment & Attendance feature in the Provider Hub for the Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program do NOT meet CCAP requirements if they:

• Do not capture who entered each child’s sign in and out times.
• Are not completed, to the extent possible, by the person dropping off and picking up the child.

By June 22, 2026, DCYF plans to update the Enrollment & Attendance feature to comply with requirements for both CCAP and Great Start Compensation Support Payments.  Once the Enrollment & Attendance feature is updated, providers can use the E&A feature in the Provider Hub for both programs.

Examples of other documents you need to keep, maintain, and make immediately available to DCYF OIG investigators include records about: 

• Employees and payroll 
• Banking and accounting 
• CCAP billing 
• Business ownership 
• Transportation of children. 

You can learn about record keeping requirements in the Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Child Care Provider Guide (DHS-5260) pages 22 & 23.

CCAP may pay up to 25 total absent days per child, per calendar year (not more than 10 in a row).

Mark absent days on the billing form by entering an “A” on days when:

• A child was scheduled and authorized to be in care, but they were absent the full day.
• You charge all families for these days.
• Your program is open, and care is available.
• Your attendance records show the child as absent that day.

If a child attends part of the day and leaves early, do not bill an absent day. Bill the child’s authorized and scheduled hours for the day. For example, if a child is scheduled and authorized for six hours on a day, but they only attended 3 hours, you may bill and be paid for six hours if:

• The billing form and attendance record both show the child attended; and 
• The attendance record is complete.

When a child’s attendance drops to less than half of their scheduled and authorized hours or days for a four-week period, you must report that on the billing form.

CCAP cannot pay for provider vacation days, provider sick days or any other days that child care is not available, except for holidays. Do not bill CCAP for these days.

CCAP may pay up to 10 cultural or religious holidays per child, per calendar year.

Mark holidays on the billing form by entering an “H” on days when:

• You are closed and not providing care.
• You charge all families for these days.
• The holiday falls on a day when the child is authorized and scheduled to be in attendance.

You must report holidays on your registration or renewal or within 10 calendar days after the holiday.

If you are open on a holiday, and a child is scheduled to be in care but is absent, bill an absent day.

Failure to properly bill an absent day or holiday can result in overpayments or other negative actions, regardless of whether a child has reached their 25 absent day or 10 day holiday limit.

All legal requirements listed above about what must be included in an attendance record are staying the same. However, beginning June 22, 2026, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) will begin requiring some providers to make attendance records available to DCYF using the Enrollment & Attendance (E&A) feature in the Provider Hub.

Starting on June 22, 2026, a new law allows DCYF to require providers to submit attendance records electronically. Submitting attendance records electronically improves program integrity, reduces administrative burdens, and supports implementation of future provider-friendly policies.

See question 11 - The requirements for what must be included in an attendance record are not changing, only how they are kept and submitted to DCYF. Laws 2025, First Special Session chapter 3, article 13, section 12.

CCAP will employ a phased roll out of this requirement beginning June 22, 2026. Providers will receive 90 days’ notice before the date you will be required to begin submitting your attendance records electronically. DCYF will begin with child care centers licensed by Minnesota.  

Providers who are required to begin submitting attendance electronically by June 22, 2026 have received a 90-day notice. DCYF plans to mail provider-specific notices 90 days prior to subsequent rollout groups

DCYF will use electronic attendance records the same way that they use paper attendance records to:

• Monitor children’s enrollment and attendance.
• Determine provider compliance with program policies.

The Enrollment and Attendance (E&A) feature in the Provider Hub is currently available to all Minnesota licensed and certified child care centers. It helps providers track children’s:

• Enrollment (whether children attend)
• Attendance (what days and times children attend).

For more information, see Getting Started with Enrollment and Attendance in the Provider Hub and questions 16 and 22.

There will be three ways for providers to submit attendance records to DCYF for CCAP.

• Kiosk – A free Enrollment & Attendance (E & A) feature in the Provider Hub will allow the adult checking a child in and out to enter real time attendance via the Parent/Guardian kiosk using a phone, tablet, or computer that the provider supplies (similar to how private electronic attendance systems work).  
• Import Attendance or Bulk Upload – Providers that use a CCMS that does not currently integrate with the Provider Hub, but don’t want to use the kiosk feature, can use this option to manually enter and upload their child, guardian, and attendance information in one CSV (comma-separated value) spreadsheet file.
• Child Care Management System (CCMS) Vendor Integrations – For providers that use specific private attendance systems, your attendance data will automatically transfer from that system to the E&A feature through an established integration with CCMS vendors.  Currently, these CCMS vendors integrate with the Provider Hub: 
  • Arux 
  • Brightwheel 
  • Daily Connect 

DCYF is working toward integrations with additional CCMS vendors to meet CCAP attendance requirements.  

No – Providers cannot use the Import Attendance feature in the Provider Hub as their only method of keeping attendance.  You must have another primary electronic method of keeping daily attendance in real-time that meets CCAP requirements, and you must have a way to immediately share your attendance records in their original format with a CCAP agency or DCYF if requested.

The purpose of the Import Attendance feature is to primarily give providers who use a CCMS that does not currently integrate with the Provider Hub, but don’t want to use the kiosk feature, a way of sharing their attendance data with DCYF. 

As DCYF adds new CCMS integrations, we may re-evaluate whether to continue offering the Import Attendance option.  Also see question 24.

No – For child care centers:

• If you are currently using paper to track attendance, when you are required to start using the Enrollment & Attendance (E&A) feature in the Provider Hub to submit attendance, you must use the Parent/Guardian Kiosk feature within the Provider Hub or integrated CCMS to keep attendance.
• The Import Attendance feature is an option if you are using a non-integrated CCMS to keep attendance.

Providers may choose to keep paper records as a back-up to electronic records, but any records you submit to a CCAP agency or DCYF must meet legal requirements.  DCYF continues to develop guidance in this area, including requirements for licensed family child care providers and legal non-licensed providers.

For providers familiar with the E&A feature in the Provider Hub, DCYF is making some changes to improve user experience and comply with CCAP requirements.  Examples of updates include:

• Adding new fields for the CCMS Integration and Import Attendance features to track who is entering drop off and pick up times
• Upgrading the Import Attendance feature by:
  • Allowing providers to upload child, guardian, and attendance information in one CSV file.
  • Increasing the size limit for CSV files, so providers can upload more data at once.
  • Adding space to enter multiple in and out times for a child on the same day (e.g., if a child attends care before and after school).
  • Allowing for actual times (not just 15-minute increments).
  • Making it easier to identify and fix data entry errors.

If you are required to start keeping attendance records electronically on June 22, 2026, the first service date you would need to supply DCYF with electronic records is June 22, 2026. DCYF would not require you to submit electronic records for service dates before June 22, 2026.   

However, you must have attendance records for service dates prior to your rollout date in whatever legal format you used for that time period.

If your roll-out date for electronic attendance is after June 22,2026, DCYF will send you a letter 90 days in advance with your roll-out date, and your roll-out date is the first day you will be required to supply electronic records.

Yes! If you keep attendance electronically, including if you use the E&A feature in the Provider Hub, you need to make sure:

• Your records meet all legal requirements (e.g., records must include children’s first and last names, drop off and pick up times, and track who recorded in and out times).
• You can access and supply records immediately if when requested during a site visit.

At this time, attendance records collected in using the Enrollment & Attendance feature in the Provider Hub do not meet CCAP requirements. See question 6.

By June 22, 2026, DCYF plans to install changes in the E&A feature in the Provider Hub to meet CCAP requirements.

Child care centers can start using the E&A feature in the Provider Hub for CCAP on June 22, 2026 or after, even if it’s before your designated roll-out date. For more information on the E&A feature, see questions 19 and 22.  

Visit the Provider Hub information page or check out the following training modules: 

• Getting Started with Enrollment and Attendance in the Provider Hub 
• Manage Enrollment and Attendance Data in the Provider Hub 
• Child Care Management System Connection in the Provider Hub 
• Attendance Kiosk for Parents/Guardian in the Provider Hub 
• Enrollment and Attendance Data Collection Method

If providers do not submit attendance records electronically by the date DCYF determines, they may be considered out-of-compliance with CCAP requirements and may face consequences, including losing eligibility for CCAP payments.

Yes – The law continues to require that providers: 

• Keep attendance records at the site where services are delivered for six years
• Make records available to county, Tribe, or state immediately upon request.

When keeping records electronically, if asked to give records on site, providers must ensure they can:

• Produce records in a format that meets all legal requirements (e.g., records include children’s first and last names, and track who recorded in and out times).
• Access and supply records immediately when requested.

Examples of situations when a CCAP agency or DCYF may need to collect records on site include:

• Monitoring visits, compliance checks, audits, and/or investigations.
• When the agency needs copies of your actual attendance records, if you use the Import Attendance function to transfer your attendance data into the Provider Hub.  

DCYF continues to fine-tune processes and procedures for electronic attendance, and we’ll make more information available prior to June 22, 2026.

• For providers that use the kiosk feature or CCMS integration, DCYF anticipates attendance record information will be shared with DCYF at least once per day.
• For providers that use the Import Attendance option to transfer attendance data into the E&A feature in the Provider Hub, we are still forming guidelines but anticipate this will be required with each two-week billing cycle.   
• Even after the roll-out of electronic attendance requirements, a county, Tribe or DCYF could request copies of actual attendance records during random site visits, compliance checks, audits, and/or investigations.  For more information, see question 24.

DCYF or Tribally licensed child care providers can apply for Access to Technology Grants to help improve access to technology and improve business management efficiency.  These grants:

• Are available twice per year
• Range from $100 to $1000
• Cover things like internet connectivity, computer equipment, child care business management software, and technology skill training.

For more information, contact grants@firstchildrensfinance.org or 612-473-6020.

Existing attendance and billing requirements under Minn. Stat. §§ 142E.16, subd. 7 and 142E.17, subd. 9(a) remain in effect, for example:

• As a condition of payment, providers must only bill for services documented according to attendance record requirements.
• Attendance records must be accurate, legible, and completed daily.
• To the extent possible, drop off and pick up times must be entered by the person dropping off and picking up the child.
• Records not produced immediately can’t be submitted later to contest an overpayment or other action.

This means families and providers may occasionally make corrections to attendance records and submit bills for these days, as long as:

• This is an infrequent occurrence for the provider as a whole
• The record shows: 
  • Who made the change
  • When they made the change 

The kiosk and integrated options are less work for providers than the Import Attendance option.

• Complete the survey on the EngagementHQ site to notify DCYF of your current attendance record practices. DCYF will use the information collected to prioritize integrations with additional CCMS vendors, determine the rollout order for electronic attendance requirements, and to identify potential pilot participants.
• Make sure you understand and follow CCAP attendance policies.
• Ask questions if there’s something you don’t understand.  See questions 30 and 31 below.

Report problems right away and ask questions if you need assistance. Staff are here to help.  

If you have technical issues or questions about:

• The Parent Kiosk/Guardian Kiosk or Import Attendance feature:
  • Follow procedures to Submit a Product Experience Support Case via Provider Hub
    OR
  • Contact Product Experience Team at 651-431-6075.
• A CCMS system, contact your vendor (e.g., Brightwheel or Daily Connect) for support.

Providers are responsible for complying with attendance record requirements if systems don’t work. For example:

• If there’s a period when an electronic records system is down or unavailable, you still need to keep accurate daily attendance records. You can use paper records or another method.
• When keeping records electronically using the Enrollment & Attendance feature in the Provider Hub, if a county, Tribe, or DCYF asks you to give records on site, you must ensure you can:
  • Produce records in a format that meets all legal requirements (e.g., records include children’s first and last names and track who recorded in and out times).
  • Access and supply records immediately when requested.

If you have general questions about electronic attendance, submit your questions to the DCYF CCAP Provider Support Team at CCAP.Providers.DCYF@state.mn.us or 651-431-4848.