The Ballmer Group Philanthropy announced a new grant Tuesday that would fund up to 10,000 additional seats for Washington’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) for the next 10 years.
ECEAP allows low-income families to access high-quality preschool.
Washington children and families are accessing child care more than ever before.
In June 2025, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) reported that more than 63,500 children received child care through the state’s Working Connections Child Care subsidy program, marking the first time the program has served that amount of children since 2010.
As part of statewide efforts to make it easier for licensed child care providers to open their doors, the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is now offering technical assistance services to help individuals during the application process.
Great news! Recent legislation reduces barriers to early education and child care providers.
Individuals wanting to become licensed child care providers, and community organizations, such as churches, seeking to use existing facilities for child care programs, can benefit from local siting and zoning changes aimed to expand places where child care can be made available.
On May 20, 2025, Gov. Bob Ferguson signed into law the 2025–27 state operating budget that included challenging, responsive choices addressing the $16 billion deficit.
Many families living in Washington state qualify for free or low-cost child care, but they may not know about it. You can help by sharing information with parents, caregivers, and your community.
The Washington state Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) has put together a toolkit with ready-to-use materials that make spreading the word easy!
You may qualify for free or low-cost child care through Washington state’s Working Connections Child Care Subsidy program. It’s available to more families than ever, and signing up is as easy as 1, 2, 3.
If you qualify, you’ll pay no more than $165 a month. Some families pay nothing at all!
Attention Washington State Child Care Providers!
Across three-acres of farmland in Issaquah—featuring endless muddy puddles, trails, and towering trees—children ages 2-6 attending Forest Friends Preschool (FFP) learn about the boundless world around them through outside, imaginative play, featuring cows, sheep, and even alpacas.
