The Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) subsidy program helps eligible families pay for child care. WCCC is funded by federal and state dollars. Eligibility requirements are set by the federal government and Washington state.
Help For Families
- Families who qualify for WCCC can get help paying for child care while they work, attend school, or participate in approved training programs.
- Families experiencing homelessness who qualify for WCCC can receive up to 12 months of child care at no cost.
- Families choose a child care provider who participates in the WCCC program.
- Families pay a monthly copayment directly to their child care provider. Copayment amounts are based on income and family size.
- Copay Calculation Table - Effective Oct. 1, 2025
- DCYF pays the remaining cost of care, called a subsidy.
Eligibility
To qualify for WCCC, families must meet the following requirements:
- The child and family must live in Washington state.
- The family must apply for WCCC.
- The total household income must be below 60% of the State Median Income (SMI) at the time of application.
- A parent or caregiver must be participating in at least one of the following:
- Legal employed or self-employed.
- High school or high school equivalency programs (for parents age 21 or younger).
- Full-time attendance at a community, vocational, technical, or tribal college to earn an associate or vocational degree.
- Part-time attendance at a community, vocational, technical, or tribal college to receive an associate or vocational degree and working at least 20 hours per week.
- Participation in a WorkFirst or Basic Food Employment and Training (BFET) plan.
Copayments
Use the chart below to find your family’s income limit and estimate your monthly copayment.
Example: A household with two adults and two children has four people living in the home. If the household’s total monthly income before any tax deductions is $4,100, your copayment would be $65 per month.
| Family Size | $0 Copay 0%-20% SMI | $65 Copay 20%-36% SMI | $90 Copay 36%-50% SMI | $165 Copay 50%-60% SMI | $215 Copay 60%-65% SMI | 75% SMI | Income Limit 85% SMI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Size | Countable Monthly Income | ||||||
| 1 | $0 to $1,207 | $1,208 to $2,173 | $2,174 to $3,018 | $3,019 to $3,622 | $3,623 to $3,923 | $4,527 | $5,131 |
| 2 | $0 to $1,578 | $1,579 to $2,841 | $2,842 to $3,947 | $3,948 to $4,736 | $4,737 to $5,131 | $5,920 | $6,710 |
| 3 | $0 to $1,950 | $1,951 to $3,510 | $3,511 to $4,875 | $4,876 to $5,851 | $5,852 to $6,338 | $7,313 | $8,289 |
| 4 | $0 to $2,321 | $2,322 to $4,179 | $4,180 to $5,804 | $5,805 to $6,965 | $6,966 to $7,546 | $8,707 | $9,868 |
| 5 | $0 to $2,693 | $2,694 to $4,848 | $4,849 to $6,733 | $6,734 to $8,080 | $8,081 to $8,753 | $10,100 | $11,446 |
| 6 | $0 to $3,064 | $3,065 to $5,516 | $5,517 to $7,662 | $7,663 to $9,194 | $9,195 to $9,960 | $11,493 | $13,025 |
| 7 | $0 to $3,134 | $3,135 to $5,642 | $5,643 to $7,836 | $7,837 to $9,403 | $9,404 to $10,187 | $11,754 | $13,321 |
| 8 | $0 to $3,204 | $3,205 to $5,767 | $5,768 to $8,010 | $8,011 to $9,612 | $9,613 to $10,413 | $12,015 | $13,617 |
| 9 | $0 to $3,273 | $3,274 to $5,892 | $5,893 to $8,184 | $8,185 to $9,821 | $9,822 to $10,640 | $12,276 | $13,913 |
| 10 | $0 to $3,343 | $3,344 to $6,018 | $6,019 to $8,358 | $8,359 to $10,030 | $10,031 to $10,866 | $12,538 | $14,209 |
| 11 | $0 to $3,413 | $3,414 to $6,143 | $6,144 to $8,532 | $8,533 to $10,239 | $10,240 to $11,092 | $12,799 | $14,505 |
| 12 | $0 to $3,482 | $3,483 to $6,269 | $6,270 to $8,707 | $8,708 to $10,448 | $10,449 to $11,319 | $13,060 | $14,802 |
| 13 | $0 to $3,552 | $3,553 to $6,394 | $6,395 to $8,881 | $8,882 to $10,657 | $10,658 to $11,545 | $13,321 | $15,098 |
| 14 | $0 to $3,622 | $3,623 to $6,519 | $6,520 to $9,055 | $9,056 to $10,866 | $10,867 to $11,771 | $13,583 | $15,394 |
| 15 | $0 to $3,691 | $3,692 to $6,645 | $6,646 to $9,229 | $9,230 to $11,075 | $11,076 to $11,998 | $13,844 | $15,690 |
| 16 | $0 to $3,761 | $3,762 to $6,770 | $6,771 to $9,403 | $9,404 to $11,284 | $11,285 to $12,224 | $14,105 | $15,986 |
| 17 | $0 to $3,831 | $3,832 to $6,895 | $6,896 to $9,577 | $9,578 to $11,493 | $11,494 to $12,451 | $14,366 | $16,282 |
| 18 | $0 to $3,900 | $3,901 to $7,021 | $7,022 to $9,751 | $9,752 to $11,702 | $11,703 to $12,677 | $14,627 | $16,578 |
| 19 | $0 to $3,970 | $3,971 to $7,146 | $7,147 to $9,926 | $9,927 to $11,911 | $11,912 to $12,903 | $14,889 | $16,874 |
| 20 | $0 to $4,040 | $4,041 to $7,272 | $7,273 to $10,100 | $10,101 to $12,120 | $12,121 to $13,130 | $15,150 | $17,170 |
Copayments Questions
- Families or parents with questions about their copayment can call 844-626-8687 for help.
- Child care providers with questions about a family's copayment can email the WCCC Provider Help Line at providerhelp@dcyf.wa.gov or call 1-800-394-4571.
Applying for WCCC
Below is an outline of the steps to take to apply for WCCC:
- A parent or caregiver applies for the WCCC program.
- Apply Online
- Call 844-626-8687 (support is available by phone in multiple languages)
- Paper applications are also available at local Community Service offices.
- DCYF gathers and reviews information to determine a family's eligibility.
- Families will need to provide DCYF with the name and phone number of the child care provider they have chosen. You do not have to have a provider before applying.
View the instructions on creating an online account with Washington Connection.
How DCYF Determines Eligibility
Read the printable flyer (available in English, Spanish, and Somali)
Verification Process
DCYF uses the following to determine eligibility. If this information doesn’t match, DCYF may request additional information from the applicant.
- Information provided by the applicant.
- Information about an applicant that is available through existing DCYF or state systems.
| What may need to be CHECKED (if applicable) | proof may include: |
|---|---|
| Identification and residency of children | DCYF uses agency systems to check who the child is and where they live. DCYF may ask for more information to be sure the child and family lives in Washington state. |
| Homelessness | DCYF matches information from the family with information in the system to check the family's living situation. If the information does not match, DCYF will need more information to verify the family’s living situation. This can be provided by a caseworker, shelter staff, or someone who can vouch for the family under penalty of perjury. |
| Custody | The applicant needs to have full or partial custody of their child. A court order, signed statement from the parent, or a statement from a third party is needed. |
| Single parent status | Parents may use the CCSP Single Parent Declaration Form (DCYF 27-164) or provide a statement that includes the name and address of the other parent for each child. They can also state, under penalty of perjury, that they don’t know the other parent’s address or where they are. The parent can also let DCYF know that they do not want to provide the address or location because they are fearful for their safety or the safety of their child(ren). |
| Household composition (everyone living in the household) | Parents may use the Statement from Landlord/Manager Form (DCYF 12-224) to provide a current lease, rental agreement, or a signed statement from their landlord to verify the number of people living in the home. |
| Earned income | DCYF will verify the household income using agency systems. If DCYF cannot verify income, wage stubs, payroll history, or an employer statement may be requested. This information must include monthly income before taxes, the month it is paid, and include any tips, bonuses, or commissions. |
| Self-employment | The applicant must provide a federal or state tax return and tax transcripts including all forms for the most current year. If the applicant uses a state tax return, they must claim all business expenses and provide proof of expenses. Proof could include a Profit and Loss form with receipts or bank statements to show the amount of self-employment income claimed. |
| Other income (social security income, supplemental security income, unemployment benefits, or any other income received by someone in your family) | If the applicant has other income, DCYF will try to verify the income using agency systems. If information is not available, the applicant may provide award letters or notifications from other state agencies as proof of monthly income amounts. |
| Child support | If the applicant receives child support, DCYF will try to verify using agency systems. If information is not available, a signed and dated statement from the non-custodial parent can be used that includes the amount and how often they provide the child support. The statement must include a signature, date, and phone number where the non-custodial parent can be reached. When court-ordered in Washington state, DCYF should be able to find the child support in agency systems. The parent will need to provide the court order and proof of the actual amounts paid. |
| Schooling and education | The applicant must provide a copy of their child’s school registration and a written statement from the school verifying enrollment and the program. |
| Work-Study Participation | The parent must provide a statement from the college or case manager that includes the total hours awarded. |
| BFET participation | DCYF will use agency systems to prove current enrollment in an approved activity and the amount of time the parent participates in the activity. |
| WorkFirst activity participants | DCYF will use agency systems to prove enrollment in a current, approved activity and the amount of time they participate in the activity. |
Finding Child Care
- Visit our Find Child Care / Early Learning webpage.
- Call 1-800-446-1114 for help.
Types of Care
Parents can choose from different types of child care providers to meet their family’s needs:
- Licensed family child care homes
- Certified child care centers
- Certified Family, Friends, or Neighbors (FFN) child care
About FFN Care
If the parent wants to have a family, friend, or neighbor care for their child, they must:
- Be 18 years of age or older.
- Be a citizen or a legal resident of the United States.
- Pass a DCYF background check. Anyone older than 16 who lives in the home must also pass a background check when care is done in the family, friend, or neighbor’s home.
- Be physically and mentally healthy enough to meet the needs of the child in care.
- Be someone other than the child's biological parent, step-parent, adoptive parent, legal guardian, in-loco parentis, or spouse of any of these individuals.
- Meet the health and safety requirements in WAC 110-16-0025, 110-16-0030, and 110-16-0035.
For more information go to the Family, Friends and Neighbor provider page
Note: FFN providers who are relatives and receive WCCC benefits for their own child may not receive WCCC benefits during the same time they are caring for the parent’s child.
Children with Special Needs
Parents of children with special needs may be able to have their provider paid higher rates to support their child’s care.
