The 2024 Legislature passed House Bill (HB) 2124, expanding eligibility for Working Connections Child Care (WCCC), effective Nov. 1, 2024.
- Parents and caregivers working in any Birth to 5 Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) or Head Start or Early Head Start program and have confirmed or verified their employment in MERIT may be eligible for child care at no cost if their income is 85% of the State Median Income (SMI), or lower. Beginning October 2024 this amount is $9,282 per month for a family of four (Copay Calculation Chart).
- Providers must confirm staff employment records in MERIT through the Facility/Site Profile page. Providers may visit the MERIT Workforce Registry for more information.
- Parents and caregivers who have a child enrolled in either the Birth to 3 ECEAP or Early Head Start programs are considered an approved activity when determining eligibility for WCCC benefits. Families will still need to meet all other WCCC eligibility requirements.
- Verification of enrollment may be required in writing by the family if unable to be verified in DCYF systems.
Family applications and reapplications will fall under the new eligibility beginning Nov. 1.
This legislation adds to the recently passed Senate Bill (SB) 1525, which provided parents and caregivers who work at licensed or certified child care centers and homes and have confirmed or verified employment recorded in MERIT eligible for child care at no cost if their income is 85% of the SMI.
Families may apply for WCCC online at Washington Connection, or by calling the DCYF Child Care Subsidy Contact Center at 844-626-8687.
Additional information is available online at Getting Help Paying for Child Care, or by completing a paper application available online at DCYF Forms. Families with questions regarding their application, or notices, may call the DCYF Child Care Subsidy Contact Center at 844-626-8687.