Dear Family, Friend, and Neighbor Provider,

In accordance with the collective bargaining agreement with Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 925, beginning on July 1, 2022, the child care subsidy base rate for Family, Friends, and Neighbor providers will increase to $3 per child per hour.

DCYF will update authorizations automatically. July invoices will reflect these changes.

If you have any questions, please call 1-800-394-4571 or email providerhelp@dcyf.wa.gov.

Dear Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) Providers,

On July 1, 2022, FFN authorizations for school-age children will not change. You may claim up to 115 contingency hours in June, July, and August. The contingency hours are available so you can claim for the time the children are in care during the summer. During the school year, monthly contingency hours reduce to 35-70 hours per month.

Dear Licensed Family Home Providers,

Effective July 2022, authorizations for children attending licensed family home child care will change as they do each school year.

Dear Child Care Center Providers,

Effective July 2022, authorizations for children attending child care centers will change as they do each school year.

The Fair Start for Kids Act (FSKA) provides the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) with resources to make child care more affordable by capping copays and expanding income eligibility so more families are able to access high-quality child care.

The Fair Start for Kids Act creates a rate incentive for licensed and certified child care providers and Early ECEAP (Early Childhood Education Assistance Program) contractors to help expand access to high-quality child care for parents returning to work after using paid family leave.

Dear Tribal Partners, Child Care, and Early Learning Providers,

At the direction of the Washington State Legislature and in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is making a temporary change that allows licensed providers to claim for their child care subsidy payment based on enrollment rather than attendance. This temporary change is effective from April 1, 2022, through June 30, 2022.

Dear Tribal Partners, Child Care, and Early Learning Providers,

The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is reaching out to you for help in developing a child care subsidy rate for families that use child care during non-standard hours. 

Can you please assist us by completing a 15-question survey about child care during non-standard hours? The survey is available in Somali, Spanish, and English.  

The Fair Start for Kids Act provides the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) with resources to stabilize child care, support providers in serving the children that come through their doors, and allows more families to access affordable, high-quality child care.

Effective Oct. 1, these changes positively effect eligibility for Working Connections Child Care (WCCC), a care subsidy program available from DCYF. The WCCC income eligibility is increased, resulting in lower copayments for many families.

Licensed Family Home Child Care Providers

Authorization Changes for All Children, Effective July 1, 2021

Monthly Units - Beginning July 1, 2021, all base rate payments for licensed family homes will be authorized as a monthly unit. DCYF authorizes: