Summary

Executive Dow Constantine is creating task force that will recommend actions to make high-quality, affordable childcare more accessible throughout King County. The task force will explore ways to implement recommendations from the King County Women’s Advisory Board.

Story

Executive Dow Constantine today announced plans for a task force that will explore ways King County can make high-quality childcare more affordable and accessible.

The task force’s analysis will include the potential of a new King County childcare assistance program, which could include increasing the number of childcare facilities and in-home providers, a voucher program for county employees, and a pilot project for telecommuting and an infants-at-work program at county workplaces.

The recommendations that the task force will examine were developed by the King County Women’s Advisory Board. Established in 1978, the 15-person board makes recommendations to the County Executive and County Council to ensure the county takes into account the needs, rights, and well-being of women. 

“The lack of affordable childcare is a serious challenge for far too many parents and caregivers throughout King County,” said Executive Constantine. “I am bringing together experts representing childcare providers, labor, employers, human service providers, early learning, and other disciplines to recommend immediate actions we can take as a local government to make high-quality childcare more affordable and accessible.”

Members of the King County Children and Families Strategy Task Force will be appointed by Executive Constantine and approved by the King County Council.

“Access to affordable and quality child care is long overdue for King County,” said Councilmember Kohl-Welles, Chair of the Council’s Health, Housing and Human Services committee. “For most working families, child care is likely one of their largest expenses until their children reach school age and with infant care costing oftentimes over $1,000 per month, it can mean one parent is needing to stay home, leaving many families struggling to make ends meet. From personal experience, it can be very difficult for single-parent families. I am excited to be sponsoring this important legislation and look forward to working with Executive Constantine, the Women’s Advisory Board, and the Council to get the task force started on this important work.”

The task force will include a wide range of representatives, including:

• An organization representing the interests of licensed childcare centers
• An organization representing the interests of licensed in-home childcare providers
• An organization providing childcare services as a family, friend, and/or neighbor childcare provider
• An organization or individual representing parents who take their children to childcare on a regular basis
• An organization representing the interests of philanthropy
• An organization representing the interests of labor
• An organization providing childcare services in rural or unincorporated communities
• An organization providing multicultural, bilingual curriculum in either preschool care program care program setting or the after-school care program setting, or both
• An organization representing the interests of immigrant or refugee communities
• A nonprofit organization that provides training and professional development for family childcare providers and family, friend, and neighbor childcare providers
• An organization representing the needs of children with development delays or disabilities
• A representative from King County’s Best Starts for Kids team from either the Department of Community and Human Services or Public Health – Seattle & King County
• An advocacy organization representing parents, early learning, foster care youth, and expanded learning opportunity
• An organization whose mission is to reduce the number of children who are expelled from childcare
• A representative from the King County Department of Human Resources
• A member of King County Women’s Advisory Board
• A representative from Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning
• A representative from the King County Executive Office
• A representative from the King County Council

The task force will present its recommendations to Executive Constantine and the King County Council by June 30, 2020, at which time the task force will expire.

The task force will recommend ways King County can be a model employer for parents and caregivers. It also will recommend actions the county can take to make affordable, high-quality childcare accessible to more residents.

Offering childcare providers the support, tools, and research they need to help children thrive

A new initiative funded by Executive Dow Constantine’s Best Starts for Kids initiative now offers health consultations to childcare providers, providing the latest research and best practices for healthy, safe environments.

The multidisciplinary teams of health experts visit childcare centers, family childcare providers, and informal family, friend, and neighbor caregivers to build trust and offer coaching and support. The partnerships will help King County achieve multiple outcomes, including more kids getting the vaccines they need, fewer days when kids are sick and can’t attend childcare, and fewer kids expelled from childcare.

Relevant links

• VIDEO: Offering childcare providers the support they need to help children thrive
• VIDEO: How King County offers support and resources to childcare providers

Quotes

The lack of affordable childcare is a serious challenge for far too many parents and caregivers throughout King County. I am bringing together experts representing childcare providers, labor, employers, human service providers, early learning, and other disciplines to recommend immediate actions we can take as a local government to make high-quality childcare more affordable and accessible.

Access to affordable and quality child care is long overdue for King County. For most working families, child care is likely one of their largest expenses until their children reach school age and with infant care costing oftentimes over $1,000 per month, it can mean one parent is needing to stay home, leaving many families struggling to make ends meet. From personal experience, it can be very difficult for single-parent families. I am excited to be sponsoring this important legislation and look forward to working with Executive Constantine, the Women’s Advisory Board, and the Council to get the task force started on this important work.

For more information, contact:

Chad Lewis, Executive Office, 206-263-1250