Alternative Payment Program

Licensed childcare centers—often referred to as preschool or early learning programs—provide care and education for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and in some cases, school-age children. These programs may offer part-day or full-day schedules and are staffed by educators with specialized training and higher education in child development.

Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) care is provided by someone personally known to the family—such as a relative, friend, neighbor, babysitter, or nanny—typically in the child’s home. Care can be part-day or full-day and is not licensed.

To learn more, visit our Caregivers page!

Requirements for Friends and Neighbors Providing Care

If a child’s caregiver is a friend or neighbor (and not an immediate family member), they must be registered with TrustLine in order to receive payment through the Alternative Payment Program (APP).

TrustLine is California’s official background check registry for child care providers. Individuals listed with TrustLine have passed a fingerprint-based screening through the California Department of Justice, ensuring they have no disqualifying criminal convictions or substantiated child abuse reports in the state.

• For more information, visit TrustLine's FAQ page 
• To begin the clearance process, start your TrustLine application here. 

Ready to create an account with CareConnect? 

First step, contact your Provider Specialist! CareConnect System operates by invitation only. To get your registration process started, reach out to one of our specialist, who will promptly send you the necessary information via email.  

After your registration has been completed, save the link for faster process! 

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