The state Department of Early Learning is revising guidelines that set a schedule for reviewing the finances of some families receiving child care assistance. But advocates say the rules won't ensure the stable, quality child care that lawmakers envisioned.
House Bill 3141, passed during this year's legislative session, mandates a change in the state's schedule for reviewing the financial eligibility of families with kids in some preschool programs for Working Connections. Working Connections is a child care subsidy that helps low-wage workers afford daycare. The law affects the review process of families with kids enrolled in Head Start, Early Head Start or the Early Childhood Education and Access Program. Currently, 20,000 Washington children are enrolled.
The new law changes the eligibility review period for Working Connections from six to 12 months