by Laurel Demkovich, Washington State Standard
October 7, 2024
Starting next month, eligible families across Washington will gain access to new state support to help cover child care costs.
The expanded assistance will be available under a state law approved earlier this year and will be open to families enrolled in subsidized state child care programs for children under 3 and to staff at state-run preschools to cover care costs for their own kids.
Washington’s programs for infants to 3-year-olds provide full-day care for eligible children paid for by the state or federal government.
These programs often serve the lowest-income families in Washington and offer extensive parent education and family support, including access to mental health services and employment resources.
Starting Nov. 1, enrollment in those support services can count as an eligible work activity toward receiving Working Connections Child Care program subsidies.
The Working Connections program has specific income limits and work requirements. When combined with other child care programs, the support people receive from Working Connections can fully cover the cost of care.
But if a family loses a job, they risk falling short of the program requirements and losing their subsidies, said Katy Warren, deputy director of the Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP.
Advocates say that adding the birth-to-3 family support programs as an eligible working activity will help many families keep their children in consistent care even if they may be under the required working hours. It will also help care providers who lose money if a child suddenly leaves their program.
“This bill will enable that child to remain in quality care and programs to remain whole while they work with the families to resolve issues,” Warren told a state House committee earlier this year.
Also starting next month, staff at any of Washington’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance or Head Start programs will be eligible for child care for their own children at no cost.
To be eligible, providers must be verified through a state workforce registry and be making 85% of the state median income or lower, or $9,282 a month for a family of four.
This change is an expansion of a law that passed last year that allowed caregivers at licensed or certified child care centers and homes to receive free child care.
It’s an important step in getting more providers into the classroom and addressing the child care shortage, bill sponsor Rep. Carolyn Eslick, R-Sultan, said during passage of the bill in the House.
For more information on eligibility requirements, families can visit the state Department of Children, Youth and Families website and apply for subsidies at www.washingtonconnection.org.
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