Olympia – The Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) has worked collaboratively with the child care provider community on updates to the family home and center licensing standards that are effective on August 1, 2019. DCYF is leading with technical assistance during the first year of implementation.

The Early Start Act of 2015 mandated that DCYF update the child care licensing rules so that the early learning system has a unified set of foundational health, safety and child development regulations that are easy to understand.

In September 2016, the federal Office of Child Care published the rules to provide clarity to the states on how to implement this law and administer the program in a way that best meets the needs of children, child care providers and families. The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) law is funding and guiding Washington State on many aspects of child care services, including licensing services and rules.

Through the work of an active Advisory Committee; 45 community meetings; 10 months negotiated rulemaking process with teams of parents, providers, and licensors; and more than 2,000 public comments, these revised licensing standards are well-informed by a large, engaged and diverse group of people in Washington State who contributed their ideas, expertise and experience.

Per the consensus-based decision of the negotiated rulemaking teams, the decision was made to postpone implementation of the rules and use time from May 2018 – August 2019 as a grace period supporting the diverse communities of providers to prepare and be ready for implementation of the rules on August 1, 2019. 

From day one, starting with the passage of the Early Start Act, through the years of preparation for the issuance of updated licensing standards, this process has allowed providers of all types, parents, stakeholders and licensing staff to work together and learn together.

It is the desire of both the field and DCYF to provide better quality of services in an equitable way for all of the children, youth and families in Washington State. Regardless of what kind of child care provider a family chooses, all children should be offered the same level and quality of service.

DCYF, in collaboration with Child Care Aware, SEIU, Washington State Association of Head Start & ECEAP, Washington Childcare Centers Association and Regional Early Learning Coalitions, will continue to support providers around the state and will continue to champion more supports and resources for providers to be able to do their jobs well.

###