In recognition of the essential work of child care workers, King County Executive Dow Constantine issued a proclamation designating May 10, 2024 as Child Care Provider Appreciation Day.
Read the full proclamation here or below!
Child care workers keep our communities running, but they are among the lowest wage workers in the state, even while doing work that is physically, mentally, and emotionally intensive. Through the pandemic, child care workers faced some of the more hazardous work conditions due to COVID-19 outbreaks.
“Child care providers are tasked with caring for our most precious loved ones: our children. So they should be compensated righteously,” said Rokea Jones, Best Starts for Kids Child Care Strategy Lead. “Like food, housing, and health care, child care is an essential need. How we invest in the child care workforce will contribute to our healthy community today and in our future, which is why it’s critical we partner with community to create supports that are responsive to the diverse needs of families and providers.”
To support accessible, affordable, and well-compensated child care, Best Starts is investing in a child care subsidy and workforce supports. These new Best Starts investments build on the County’s ongoing commitment to this critical sector through programs including child care health consultation, the child care health program, and facilities investments.
The Best Starts for Kids Child Care Subsidy
Best Starts is investing $160 million over the six years of the second levy to help families cover the cost of child care. The Best Starts Child Care Subsidy is geared toward helping families who can’t access other subsidies, because they don’t meet income, activity, or other subsidy requirements.
Initial survey data shows that the subsidy has had significant positive impact on families already. Ninety-five percent of families surveyed reported more freedom to pursue career goals or advancement. The survey also found that families with the subsidy had:
- Increased ability to pay for basic needs, including food, healthcare, child care, formula and diapers, and transportation
- An 18% reduction in employment disruption
- Reduced stress and improved quality of life
Investments in the workforce
Best Starts is gearing up to launch the Child Care Worker Wage Boost Pilot in summer 2024. The pilot will study how a wage increase for child care workers impacts retention. This study will help us better understand the ways we can support sustainability in the sector and improve continuity of care.
In 2022 Best Starts partnered to distribute $7.4 million to reach 12,000 child care workers across King County. The funding was designed to provide immediate relief to workers in an essential sector that has faced a crisis of attrition due to low wages and hazardous conditions, with the hope of incentivizing retention and continuity of care for kids in child care.
At Best Starts we support this proclamation with the deepest gratitude to the child care workforce, and commit to continuing our work to partner with families and providers to support this essential sector.
Child Care Provider Appreciation Day Proclamation
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