Olympia – The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) values all that child care providers are doing for children and families, and recognizes that they have a choice to stay open during the COVID-19 state of emergency.

DCYF is committed to safely maintaining access to child care for children and families who need it, and that providers are supported with the information they need to offer care that keeps adults and children safe and healthy. 

DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter states, “Child care providers are essential in providing safe care for our families during this time. I value each of you and your commitment to the children and families in your communities.”

DCYF recently implemented the following measures to support families receiving child care subsidy in accessing safe care and resources for providers to remain open:

• Child care providers will be paid through April based on enrollment, even if some children are unable to attend or if providers are required to temporarily shut down during the state of emergency. 
• DCYF will move all part day authorizations to full day authorizations for school age care.  Providers and families do not need to call to report this change.

For families looking for child care, Child Care Aware can help you find child care near your home or your workplace. Please visit https://childcareawarewa.org/families/#whotocall or call 1-800-446-1114.

You can find provider Frequently Asked Questions, and future updates on DCYF's website: Coronavirus - COVID-19 Updates webpage.

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