OLYMPIA, WA – The number of licensed childcare providers in Washington state has increased since 2020 from 4,768 to 6,504, a 36% increase, according to the Department of Children, Youth & Families.
At the same time, the number of children served monthly through DCYF’s childcare subsidy program has increased over the past decade by 2,000, from 49,000 to 51,000.
However, according to state projections, that figure is expected to fall below 2015 levels this year.
The number of children receiving state subsidized care often fluctuates widely year over year. In 2010, there were 64,127 children enrolled, according to data from the state Office of Financial Management. Six years later, there were only 29,828 children enrolled
Back in 2004, there were 67,298 children enrolled in the program. According to a 2002 report, during that biennium the state Department of Health and Human Services’ child care subsidy program served about 80,000 children per month.
In October, DCYF anticipated 63,500 more children served monthly through its Working Connections Child Care subsidy program, which would have been the highest number served since 2010.
“There are a variety of factors that are leading to this increase in families receiving subsidy, in great part thanks to the Fair Start for Kids Act,” DCYF’s press release stated. “The rise can be attributed, in part, to reduced copays for families, growth in the number of providers, and the increase in providers accepting subsidy thanks to increased subsidy rates.”
However, according to DCYF data the actual number of children served last year turned out to be significantly less than expected, with 51,000 children enrolled. This decrease is attributed to budgetary and policy decisions by the state legislature that included a delayed subsidy rate increase for center-based providers, delayed income eligibility expansion, and the removal of certain eligibility expansions.
The State Caseload Forecast Council anticipates the number of children enrolled will decrease moving forward down to 38,975 for the academic year 2026 before increasing to 42,239 for the academic year 2027.
OFM attributes the significant changes in children enrollment during several years due to a variety of factors including policy changes between 2012-13 and 2014-15, then the COVID lockdowns that reduced the number of children enrolled during 2020 and 2021.
According to OFM data, the number of children receiving monthly childcare fell from 47,265 in 2019 to 43,700 in 2020 and then 35,496 in 2021 before rebounding to 40,818 in 2023.
The Center Square reached out to DCYF via phone and email to discuss the number of new licensed childcare providers and the projected decrease in children enrolled for this year, but did not receive a response.
