OLYMPIA, Wash. — Proposed budget cuts to Washington’s child care subsidy programs could create sweeping economic consequences.
On Thursday, advocacy groups rallied hundreds of parents and child care providers to warn lawmakers about the potential fallout.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson’s proposed budget includes reductions to the Working Connections Child Care program, which provides subsidies to help families who meet income eligibility requirements afford care. There were more than 44,000 enrolled in WCCC last year, according to the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF).
The proposed budget includes a cap on the number of new families signing up for child care assistance, and a plan to reduce the caseload to 33,000.
Child care advocates say the cuts would create a domino effect impacting all working parents, regardless of whether they currently use subsidized care.
“14,000 is the number of families that we may see lose care because of, if the legislature institutes a cap, it could be worse if we see that providers have to shut down because they can’t afford to stay open,” said Genevieve Stokes, director of government relations for Child Care Aware of Washington.
Child Care Aware is an advocacy group funded by DCYF. The group is a resource for early learning scholarships and financial assistance and also operates a free Child Care Finder for parents and caregivers to find safe and affordable options.
For working parents who don’t qualify for subsidies but rely on affordable childcare to maintain their jobs, the cuts could mean difficult choices between career and family responsibilities. When childcare becomes unavailable or unaffordable, parents often reduce work hours or leave the workforce entirely, creating broader economic impacts.
Industry experts say the proposed cuts could push some facilities over the edge, reducing available child care slots and driving up costs for all families.
“The options that are on the table for providers are to stop serving infants and toddlers, to stop serving families on subsidies, to raise prices on their private pay families, or to shut down classrooms or entire facilities,” said Stokes. “And as I mentioned, these are folks who are already feeling enormous economic pressure with inflation, particularly wage inflation.”
Ferguson’s proposed reductions to child care funding are part of broader budget cuts that also target public education and higher education institutions. Advocacy groups explain that these programs face cuts because of how Washington’s state constitution prioritizes spending.
The state constitution requires lawmakers to fund certain essential services, including healthcare and basic education. However, early learning and childcare programs are not constitutional mandates, making them more vulnerable during budget negotiations.
This constitutional framework creates a hierarchy of funding priorities that leaves child care programs competing for discretionary dollars, even though advocates argue these services are essential for economic stability and workforce participation.
The timing of the proposed cuts comes as many families are still recovering from pandemic-related economic disruptions that highlighted the critical role of child care in supporting working parents. During COVID-19 lockdowns, many parents, particularly mothers, left the workforce when schools and childcare facilities closed.
“We know that when families can’t get childcare, parents and especially women drop out of the workforce, which will in turn exacerbate our state’s economic woes, ” Stokes said.
Private-pay families may also face increased costs as providers attempt to offset lost subsidy revenue by raising rates for families who can afford to pay more. This could price out middle-income families who earn too much to qualify for subsidies but still struggle to afford child care.
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