Date last updated: 2/27/26
Purpose: This page contains some of the most Frequently Asked Questions we receive from providers using our system. We will continue to update this page as we receive more questions.
Table of Contents
Terminology
- What is CCES?
The Department of Economic Security (DES) Child and Community Services Division (CCSD) is implementing a Child Care Electronic System (CCES) to develop the ability to conduct business with child care providers in a digital environment and improve important business processes and practices for providers and DES, and build resources for parents with full access to child care information and services. The first part of the CCES is electronic attendance tracking which will be implemented through the awarded vendor, KinderSystems®.
- What is a Non-Certified Relative Provider?
DES Child and Community Services Division (CCSD) offers the opportunity for individuals to be Non-Certified Relative Providers (NCRP). An individual must be related to the children in need of care by either blood, marriage or court decree and only includes: grandparent, great-grandparent, aunt/uncle, or a sibling at least 18 years of age that does not reside in the home. The parent/guardian must already be approved for DES Child Care Assistance for their child(ren). The parent/client authorized for child care assistance must contact the DES Family Support and Eligibility Specialist and request an NCRP that meets the criteria. Once this individual is referred, the CCSD NCRP team will contact the individual to complete the process for becoming an NCRP.
- What are the teams within the Child and Community Services Division (CCSD) that a Provider will have contact with?
There are several teams within the Child and Community Services Division (CCSD) that an NCRP may have contact with for support.
- The first team is the Provider Network and Support NCRP Team. This is the team of state licensing surveyors licensed who are assigned to work directly with the NCRPs. Each NCRP is assigned a state licensing surveyor.
- The next team is the Payment Processing Unit or PPU. This is the team that processes all billing submitted for payment and addresses questions about the billing and payment process.
- The NCRP may also be in communication with the Family Support and Eligibility (FSE) team. This is the team that accepts applications for child care assistance, determines eligibility for child care assistance, completes the certificates of authorizations for child care assistance, and processes redeterminations and any changes as it relates to child care eligibility.
KinderSystems Terminology
- What is KinderSystems®?
A suite of software programs and team of industry experts focused on helping government agencies administer child care services with improved operations and accountability.
- What is KinderConnect®?
KinderConnect® is a web-based portal for providers, caregivers, parents, and guardians. It is the host for time and attendance tracking and reporting.
- What is KinderSign®?
KinderSign® is an application for iPad and Android tablets that streamlines child care attendance tracking. The solution gives NCRP providers an efficient way to collect attendance, report absences, send and receive messages, approve or deny transactions, and view case information.
- What is KinderSmart®?
KinderSmart® is a mobile app for iPhone or Android devices that streamlines child care attendance tracking. The solution gives sponsors an efficient way to report attendance, report absences, read messages, and approve transactions.
- What are the specific user roles available for KinderConnect®?
Operator – anyone who uses or ‘operates’ the electronic system. This could be any internal DES roles, a provider role, or a family role.
Internal DES Roles:
System Administrator – DES IT Systems staff. A system administrator has the highest level of access in order to provide support with attendance and system errors.
Region Administrator – DES Payment Processing Staff and Provider Network & Support Staff. A region administrator has access to provider attendance data for monitoring and billing practices.
Provider Role:
Provider Administrator – this is the NCRP Provider’s role. A provider administrator has certain privileges like being able to create other operators at that provider’s location or submit attendance for payment.
Family Roles:
Sponsor – a primary caretaker, such as the parent, guardian or any other person that the child’s primary caretaker approves to check their child or children in and out of care. Each sponsor that the provider enters must be uniquely identified by a ten-digit phone number. Once a sponsor is entered into the system the provider must then associate the sponsor with the child(ren) that she or he is authorized to check in and out.
Training and Technical Assistance
- Will the NCRP be required to use the CCES?
All NCRPs will be required to submit attendance electronically. New NCRP’s will be trained and supported in using the CCES. At renewal of the Provider Registration Agreement, existing providers will transition to the CCES. The Provider Network and Support Administration will support NCRPs with enrollment in the CCES. Communication will be sent out to all providers with a plan and timeline for CCES training and enrollment.
- What training is available for Providers using CCES?
Training will be provided by KinderSystems® for all NCRPs on how to use KinderSign, KinderSmart and KinderConnect. An NCRP will participate in training before they begin their participation in the CCES. Providers will start using the system to capture attendance on the 1st day of the following month the provider is trained. The training provided will include a live webinar with a main presenter and an assistant presenter and/or a scheduled pre-recorded webinar with a live presenter (who is there mainly to answer questions that are asked during the training.
- Will training be available in Spanish?
Yes. Training and support will be available in Spanish.
- Who should the NCRP contact if they need assistance with KinderConnect, KinderSmart or KinderSign?
Dial (833) 859-3433 or email at SupportAZ@KinderSystems.com. Support staff are available from 6:00 AM – Midnight, Mountain Standard Time, 7 days a week.
- What types of support are available to the NCRP participating in CCES?
The Child and Community Services Division Provider Network and Support NCRP Team is available to support an NCRP using KinderSystems® and transitioning to electronic attendance and submission of attendance for payment. The NCRP should continue to contact the NCRP team with questions about the CCES Participation Agreement, authorizations or billing questions.
Contact KinderSystems® at (833) 859-3433 or SupportAZ@kinderSystems.com for any of the following:
- Using KinderConnect, KinderSign and/or KinderSmart
- Locked out of your account
- To reset your PIN
- Registration Concerns
- Reset or Forgot your password or your secret question
- To update Sponsor Accounts in KinderConnect
Operational Requirements
- What equipment does the NCRP need?
An NCRP will need access to WIFI and power. The provider will need a laptop, PC, tablet (Apple or Android) or smartphone (Apple or Android) to run KinderConnect®. Even though you can use a smartphone for KinderConnect® it is not ideal due to the size of the screen.
The KinderSmart® application can be used on a Smartphone. In this case, providers will display a QR code near the entrance to the place of care – either on a computer screen or as a paper document that is printed. Parents hold this QR code up to the camera app on their smartphone to check (sign) children in and out of child care each day.
Once a month, DES providers will be required to log into KinderConnect® to verify attendance data, and hit the ‘send’ button to request payment. This step will require internet access, a laptop, PC or tablet with an internet browser to access KinderConnect®. A Smartphone can be used but note that there could be challenges with this due to the small screen.
- What kinds of smartphones can run KinderSmart®?
The KinderSmart® app runs on Android and Apple smartphones. It does not run on other smartphone operating systems such as Windows, Nokia, Blackberry, etc.
- What are the login credentials that get sent out to providers?
Provider login credentials consist of first and last name (these names must exactly match what is included in AZCCATS). A verification code which DES will send by email. Note that the verification code is used only once. After a provider gets through initial provider registration, the verification code is never used again.
- Is it possible to add a child’s picture to the KinderConnect account?
Yes. A provider can upload a photo on the ‘Child Page’ using KinderConnect®. This might be helpful if a provider is not using a CCMS and wants the picture to display in KinderSign upon successful login.
Provider Documentation
- When does the NCRP need to submit attendance data?
The NCRP should transmit electronic attendance data for the current month no later than 10 calendar days following the last day of each calendar month. This includes providing all necessary information for children authorized for child care assistance as identified in the CCES Participation Agreement.
- How often should the NCRP review attendance data?
The NCRP should review attendance data on a daily basis to determine if any children in attendance do not have an electronic sign in and sign out by the approved parent/guardian.
The NCRP is required to ensure that all attendance is complete and accurate prior to submission for payment. Note the following are very common errors with attendance:
- Incomplete time pairs — an ‘in’ transaction without a corresponding ‘out’ transaction, or vice-versa. In other words, the parent checked their child in that morning, and forgot to check their child out that evening.
- Times out of sequence — where an ‘out’ transaction occurs before the corresponding ‘in’ transaction. In other words, the parent checked their child out at the end of the day, and forgot to check the child in that morning.
- What if a sign-in or sign-out of a child is missed?
For children receiving child care assistance who were not electronically signed in and out by the approved parent/guardian, the child care provider may correct the electronic attendance record, per the signed CCES Participation Agreement. Any correction to the record must be completed prior to the child’s start of the next day of care.
- Will the NCRP still need to use paper sign in and sign out sheets?
No paper sign in/out sheets will be necessary. Providers can use a paper sign in/out sheet as a backup until the CCES is running smoothly or should there be an internet outage at the place of care.
Childcare Certificate of Authorizations and Payment Processing
- How often do Providers submit attendance for payment?
Providers are to submit electronic attendance data for the current month no later than 10 calendar days following the last day of each calendar month. This includes providing all necessary information for children authorized for child care assistance as identified in the CCES Participation Agreement.
A provider may only submit attendance for a child one time per month. Additional attendance will require a supplemental billing form and communication with the Payment Processing Unit.
The NCRP will sign into their KinderConnect® account, review attendance data, and verify that the attendance information is correct for all children who attended that month. The NCRP will submit the attendance data from KinderConnect to AZCCATS for payment processing.
- What if there is an attendance error identified in KinderConnect?
KinderConnect® will flag attendance with yellow or red highlights. Attendance that is shown as yellow or red will require correction by the Provider.
- Red means an invalid time has been entered, such as the ‘In’ time was before an ‘Out’ time.
- Yellow means that a corresponding ‘In’ or ‘Out’ time is missing. All attendance for days where child care was provided should have an in and out time.
All invalid or missing attendance will require the provider to correct or remove the attendance in KinderConnect®. If times are missing or incorrect the provider can correct them in the Attendance Detail page. Additional support can be found on the CCES Information Site.
- Will Providers continue to receive paper billing documents?
Yes, DES will continue to mail paper billing documents to all providers until CCES is fully implemented and electronic billing documents are available. Providers ARE NOT to submit the paper billing documents for payment processing. An exception would be if the KinderConnect® System is down, i.e., an internet outage.
- Do providers still need to use the AZCCATS billing document if they are submitting through the CCES?
No, providers participating in the CCES will submit their attendance through KinderConnect and are NOT to submit the paper billing document. There will be circumstances when attendance cannot be submitted for a child through KinderConnect and the paper billing form will need to be submitted. Providers will be trained on these specific scenarios.
- Will Providers receive anything in place of the paper billing documents?
DES will continue to mail paper billing documents to all providers until the CCES is fully implemented and electronic billing documents are available. Once the CCES is fully implemented, DES will stop mailing billing documents, and all providers using the CCES for payment processing will be sent a single sheet billing document to use in circumstances requiring the provider to use a manual billing document.
- What documents will providers receive to show the payments that were processed?
Providers who receive warrants (checks) will continue to receive a warrant (check) stub through mail which shows how much the provider was paid and the listing of children. Providers who are paid through direct deposit will continue to receive a direct deposit stub.
- If there is a change to a child’s authorization or when an authorization is backdated, what action does the Provider need to take?
Providers are able to submit for attendance on authorized children according to the dates included on the certificate of authorization. Should the dates change with an authorization, such as backdating the authorization to align with when the application for child care assistance is submitted, a Provider will be able to submit for the newly authorized timeframe, as long as the child did attend the program on the dates authorized. Below are specific scenarios for when a provider would backdate sign in/out records for children.
- Backdating Attendance (Sign in/out times)
1) Newly established NCRP: The NCRP will submit billing through a paper billing process for the time period between the authorization start date to when the NCRP is approved in the system.
Scenario 1a) Change in authorization due to provider change: A client with a current authorization has her children attending a licensed center and reports on 12/18/2023 that she would like her mother to get paid for caring for her children. Mother has been caring for the children since 12/13/2023. Once the NCRP is approved the authorization will start effective the date the client indicated (12/13/23). If the NCRP is approved on January 31st then the NCRP will paper bill for the time period of 12/13/2023 through January 31, 2024.
Scenario 1b) Authorization for children is not completed in the system after receiving the NCRP referral from the NCRP team: Current practice is for the NCRP team to send the NCRP a blank billing form, as part of onboarding, to complete once the certificate of authorization is received in the mail. Sometimes the NCRP will go ahead and submit the paper billing without receipt of the authorization. The Payment Processing Unit will then identify that the authorization was not completed by Family Support and Eligibility. The authorization will be established and is backdated to the start date.
How this will work through the CCES: A newly approved NCRP will not be able to register with KinderSystems® until the authorization is completed, as the P number and the authorization are both needed for a pin number to be generated. The pin number is necessary to register with KinderSystems®. The NCRP team will be responsible for tracking the PINs so the NCRP team will know that there is an issue with an authorization and can follow up with Family Support and Eligibility. Once the authorization is in place it will be backdated to the start date. The NCRP will submit paper billing for the timeframe of the start of the authorization to the NCRP approval date.
2) Backdating sign in and sign out times for an authorization not established:
Scenario 2a) A new child is added to an existing NCRP but the authorization was not completed. Current practice is that an NCRP will notice on the paper billing form that the child(ren) is not listed on the paper billing document. The NCRP may contact the Payment Processing Unit or the NCRP team. When it is identified that the authorization was not established, the NCRP team will notify Family Support and Eligibility to complete the authorization. The authorization will be established and is backdated to the start date, and a supplemental billing created.
For the CCES, the child will not be in KinderConnect until the authorization is established and so a parent cannot sign in/out through KinderSign/KinderSmart. NCRP will notify the NCRP team that the child is not authorized. The NCRP team will contact Family Support and Eligibility to complete the authorization to the start date. The NCRP will backdate the sign in/out records for the authorized child.
3) Stopped authorization is restarted and continuous (No gap):
Scenario 3a) Expiration of NCRP Provider Registration Agreement (PRA): An NCRP PRA is expiring on March 20, 2023 (PRA is good for one year) but the child(ren) authorization(s) have not expired. A system alert is generated for Eligibility and FSE completes a 10 day stop on the authorization. A 10 day notice is sent to the NCRP and the client (family) is also notified. When the NCRP renews the PRA within the 10 day timeframe then the authorization is reinstated to the PRA expiration date (authorization is continuous). The NCRP would need to enter in sign in/sign out times in KinderSystems® for the days the authorization was stopped. Note, this occurs infrequently.
Scenario 3b) Client (family) reported new income: Family is required to submit verification of new employment/income and has to provide this within 10 days. There is a stop on the authorization for those 10 days. The NCRP is notified verbally and a notice of a stopped authorization is sent via mail. When the family provides the information within the 10 day period then the authorization is reinstated and is backdated so it is continuous. In this case the family would not be able to sign in/out via Kindersign/KinderSmart when the authorization is stopped. The NCRP would need to enter in the sign in/sign out times in KinderSystems® for the days the authorization was stopped. Note: This happens frequently.
Scenario 3c) Family Support and Eligibility Specialist forgets to authorize the children in the system for a redetermination or a change. When a redetermination is completed the case is processed and a verbal authorization is given to the provider but the Family Support and Eligibility Specialist forgets to authorize the child in the system. The provider notices that children are not on the billing sheet which can be 1-2 months later and reaches out to the Family Support and Eligibility Specialist that called in the verbal authorization. The FSE completes the authorization in AZCCATS and is backdated to the redetermination date. The NCRP would need to enter in the sign in/sign out times in KinderSystems® for the days the authorization was stopped. Note: This can occur infrequently.
Note: For scenario 3 and the examples provided, if the authorization stops and is fixed in the same month then it is business as usual for submitting billing. The NCRP will go in and backdate the sign in/out times for the child. If the authorization stops and is NOT fixed in the same month (crosses over two months) the NCRP would have to do the paper billing process for the second half of the month. A child’s attendance for billing can only be submitted through KinderConnect once per month. The other option for an NCRP is that the attendance can be held for the month (not submitted) and submitted once the authorization is back in place. For example, authorization is in place and goes through January 16th. When the authorization is stopped the family can no longer sign the child in/out through KinderSign/Smart. Authorization starts back up on February 5th and is backdated to January 16th.
4) Authorization is stopped and restarted but NOT continuous (No backdating)
Scenario 4a) A change was reported by the family and a 10 day stop was put into effect. The family did not provide the required information within the day period. Family Support and Eligibility closes the authorization. The NCRP receives a verbal notice and is notified with a letter. Family reapplies and a new authorization is established. The NCRP cannot bill for the days where there was no authorization.
- How far back can a provider submit billing and be reimbursed?
The provider should transmit electronic attendance data for the current month no later than 10 calendar days following the last day of each calendar month. This includes providing all necessary information for children authorized for child care assistance as identified in the Provider Registration Agreement (PRA). Billing will not be accepted after the ninth (9) month after services were provided.
Provider Type and Status
- What happens when an NCRP changes to a DES Certified Family Child Care Home Provider (A provider changes their provider type from NCRP to Certified Family Child Care Home Provider)?
When an NCRP wants to become a DES certified family child care provider the NCRP must apply and complete the process for certification. Once DES certified, the provider information will be changed in AZCCATS and sent to KinderConnect®. Updated authorizations will be initiated for the children authorized for child care from AZCCATS and sent to KinderConnect®. Old authorizations will end. NCRP Providers interested in becoming Certified Family Child Care Home Providers can apply at http://azfamilychildcare.com/.
- What happens when a provider’s status changes?
An NCRP status can be active, hold, or closure.
Active: When an NCRP is active with a current authorization, AZCCATS and KinderConnect® interact as normal.
Hold: When an NCRP is on hold, a provider is unable to be paid until the reason for the hold has been addressed. AZCCATS and KinderConnect® interact as normal.
Closure: When an NCRP is closed, the Family Support and Eligibility Team is notified and any existing authorizations will be stopped. AZCCATS will send any changes in authorizations to KinderConnect®.