Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) providers can include grandparents, aunts and uncles, elders, older siblings, friends, neighbors, and others who help families by providing child care.
FFN care is the most common type of child care for infants, toddlers, and school-age children before and after school. FFN providers play an important role in keeping children safe and supporting their growth.
Who are FFN Providers?
FFN providers care for children who are approved for child care subsidy payments through the Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) subsidy program.
FFN providers may be:
- Eligible relatives who provide child care in the child’s home or in their own home
- Non-relatives who provide child care in the child’s home
- Exempt from DCYF’s formal licensing standards
DCYF has rules (WAC 110-16) for FFN providers who get WCCC payments.
Requirements for FFN Providers
All FFN providers, both relatives and non-relatives, must complete the following:
Create a user profile in the WA Compass Provider Portal (this is DCYF’s system of record for licensed and license-exempt providers) Once your WA Compass registration is approved, directions will be sent for the Portable Background Check (PBC) and federal fingerprinting process in MERIT.
Create a user profile in MERIT (this is DCYF’s system of record for provider training and background checks) The License Exempt Services (LES) team will tell you when to complete this.
Complete DCYF Electronic Attendance Tracking training. Once you have been approved by the LES team, the next step is to take electronic attendance training.
- Learn to track daily attendance in the electronic attendance system. Parents electronically sign the child(ren) in and out of the FFN’s care each day care is provided.
- Submit all daily attendance at the end of each month through an electronic attendance system.
Subsidy Billing and Payment Training. Learn how to bill the state correctly and get paid.
Non-Relative and Certain Relative FFN Provider Requirements
Health and Safety Training
- Required for non-relative (friend and neighbor) providers and certain relatives
- Must be completed within 90 days of the subsidy payment start date
- Training topics include (but are not limited to):
- Infant/Toddler and Adult First Aid/CPR
- Safe Sleep
- Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention and Reporting
- Child Development
- Safety of the Home Setting
- Trainings are free and online, except for Infant/Toddler and Adult First Aid/CPR
- Annual Health and Safety Visit
- A Health and Safety visit happens within 12 months of the subsidy payment start date and every year after
- Takes place in the home where child care happens
- Visits are scheduled and parents are encouraged to attend
- Goals of these visits are:
- To make sure parents and providers are following new health and safety rules
- To observe the provider’s interactions with the child
- To discuss health and safety habits
