Finding Affordable Seattle Child Care

It seems that child care costs are constantly on the rise. Finding affordable Seattle child care is especially challenging because these costs tend to rise even higher than average in large, metropolitan areas like Seattle. Here are a few tips to make finding affordable Seattle child care options a bit easier:

Check with the City

The city is dedicated to helping parents afford Seattle child care through the child care assistance program. The program is offered to both low-income and moderate-income working families. Depending on income and amount of children, Seattle will foot anywhere from 25 to 70 percent of child care bills. If selected for the program, families may choose from over 100 care centers, including both center-based and in-home options. To qualify, families must live in Seattle, be working or enrolled in an educational program to obtain a degree or certification. They must also have a child under 13 years old and choose one of the approved providers. Income requirements range, depending on family size, but a two-person family making $2,587 to $3,879 per month would be eligible, as would a five-person family with a monthly income between $4,597 and $6,984.

See if you qualify for assistance from the state

Like most states, Washington offers a child care subsidy program for its residents. Similar to the city’s requirements, in order to qualify for the state subsidy program, families must be working or enrolled in an educational or training program, a resident of the state and meet certain income guidelines. There are various types of help, including those for homeless children, seasonal child care and those already receiving WCCC benefits.

Look into Head Start

Head Start is a program dedicated to helping low-income families afford child care. Its services have helped millions of families afford care for their children. Head Start is available in 45 states across the U.S. and Washington is among those 45 states. Head Start is found in different types of centers and schools and strives to provide high-quality care to those who could otherwise not afford it. The program is only available for younger children, from the age of birth through five years old. However, check with Head Start even if you have an older child. They’re a great resource for finding affordable Seattle child care.

Sources:
-“Child Care Assistance Program” Human Services Department
-“Getting Help Paying for Child Care and Preschool” Washington State Department of Early Learning
-“Head Start” http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc-NHSA: http://www.nhsa.org/services/find_a_head_start_program
-“Head Start Impact Study Final Report” http://journalistsresource.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/1108HeadStartImpact.pdf
-“Head Start Impact: Department of Health and Human Services Report” http://journalistsresource.org/studies/government/civil-rights/head-start-study/