This dashboard highlights the number of children in eligible families who participate in Working Connections Child Care (WCCC). In estimating eligibility, we count children in households that the Census Bureau estimates to have an income level at or below 60% of the State Median Income (SMI) and where all available parents are working. Statewide, this is about 296,000 children under the age of 13.
About 44,000 children are currently served with childcare subsidies. Thus Statewide, we estimate about 15% of all eligible children are “taking up” subsidies. These estimates vary by age group and time. Currently, DCYF estimates about 11% of infants, 25% of toddlers, 31% of preschool-age, and 10% of school-age children in eligible households are participating in subsidized childcare.
Estimated take up rates for infant, toddler, preschool, and school-age children also vary across the state. Users can explore geographic variation using the filters and map below.
Footnotes
Population estimates are from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, defined as children with all available parents in the labor force and in households at or <60% State Median Income (SMI), minus children known to be participating in ECEAP or estimated to be participating in Head Start.
Current subsidy participation is from DCYF subsidy payment data (including Family, Friends, and Neighbor care), aged 90 days to maximize completeness.
Masking – Due to data confidentiality, subsidy value sizes less than 10 are left blank.
Data Source: DCYF Early Learning Data Store 2.0 (ELDS 2.0); Oct. 2023 release.
Attribution
 | In order to create this data dashboard, we partnered with Washington STEM to create a tool that reflects the current state of participation in Washington’s subsidized childcare program . This tool was made possible by combining data and expertise from DCYF’s Office of Innovation, Alignment, and Accountability, and the technical expertise of Washington STEM. |
Data Files:
Questions? For questions about the maps or underlying data, email oiaa@dcyf.wa.gov.