Nationally and locally, insufficient high quality child care is a growing crisis. Child care demand in our region is high, but the cost of care is unaffordable and many King County families are unable to find or access care that meets their needs. Best Starts is working toward the long-term vision of strengthening King County’s child care infrastructure, building on state and federal efforts to improve equitable child care access.
Child Care Subsidy Program: Best Starts will partner with one or more intermediaries to administer subsidies to support the cost of child care at licensed centers or family child care sites for approximately 3,000 children aged birth to 12 and their families.
Child Care Worker Wage Boost: Best Starts will support investments in the child care workforce through a wage boost project, with the intent of recognizing child care providers’ contributions, improving employee retention, and increasing continuity of care and quality in child care settings.
This strategy invests in:
Child Care Subsidy Program & Child Care Worker Wage Boost
Funding Estimate (2022-2027):
$199, 341, 000
