Stable, high-quality early learning is shown to have lifelong benefits for children, especially among our most vulnerable populations.
The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is pleased to announce that Working Connections Child Care – our subsidy program that helps low-income families pay for child care – is extending the grace period for families experiencing homelessness.
DCYF previously offered a four-month grace period for families experiencing homelessness to provide the necessary verification to be considered eligible for subsidized child care. As of July 1, 2020, DCYF has extended this grace period to 12 months.
This change provides increased stability to some of our most vulnerable families and children – those without housing. This allows for a stable, high-quality dosage of early learning to children who often do not have the opportunity to access it.
Eligible families don’t have to do anything different to access these benefits; they can still apply over the phone at 1-877-501-2233 or online at www.washingtonconnection.org.