Editor’s note: this post was updated to reflect the total funds dedicated to the Best Starts Child Care Subsidy: $160 million over six years.
A thriving and equitable child care system is essential for our communities. Child care supports parents and guardians in the workforce; provides babies and children with nurturing spaces where they can grow and thrive and get the best possible start; and cultivates a community of well-resourced and supported caregivers.
That’s why at Best Starts, we are so excited to be ramping up our work so more families across King County have access to child care. The new Best Starts for Kids Child Care Subsidy represents an historic investment on the part of King County tax payers – $160 million over six years to expand equitable access to child care for families in our community. Child care keeps the county running, and when we invest in child care providers and the industry as a whole, we are creating financial stability for working families and while also contributing to financial growth in the region.
The first step in the application process for the new subsidy program is now available! Families who are interested in the subsidy can fill out a five-minute eligibility form to see if they may qualify for help paying for child care. Families will be contacted by the end of September if they have been selected to complete the full application. Because this is new program and there may be more families interested than we have capacity to serve, please note that submitting an eligibility form will NOT guarantee child care funding for the family.
Families may be eligible for the subsidy if they:
- Live in King County
- Fall below the income cap (see table below)
- Are not eligible for the State Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) subsidy program
- Have one or more children age 12 or younger
- Choose a licensed child care provider
| Household Size | 85% State Median Income (Monthly Pre-Tax) |
| 2 | $5,158 |
| 3 | $6,372 |
| 4 | $7,585 |
| 5 | $8,799 |
| 6 | $10,012 |
| 7 | $10,240 |
| 8 | $10,468 |
| 9 | $10,695 |
| 10 | $10,923 |
Are you an organization that wants to share this opportunity with your families?
Access our outreach toolkit which contains flyers and graphics, as well as suggested text to use in emails, social media posts, and text when reaching out to families who may be eligible.
These resources are immediately available in English, Spanish, and Somali. Materials in Amharic, Arabic, Chinese- simplified and traditional, Oromo, Russian, and Vietnamese will be available shortly. Interpretation services are available in any language at 206-208-6865 from Monday- Friday 9 am – 5 pm.
Register for one of our two upcoming information sessions to see a demo of the eligibility form and ask any questions you have:
Best Starts for Kids Child Care Subsidy Community Partner Info Sessions:
Session #1 -Friday 8/26 at 12 pm. Register here!
Session #2 – Wednesday 8/31 at 1 pm. Register here!
Learn more about the Best Starts Child Care Subsidy, including an FAQ section with answers to common questions, at our website: www.bskchildcare.org
