12,000 child care providers in King County to receive one-time payments totaling $7 million

Photo by Tanaphong Toochinda on Unsplash

Following an announcement of $7 million in funding in June from King County and the City of Seattle, more than 12,000 child care providers are expected to receive one-time payments for retention bonuses. 

King County is contributing $5 million through the Best Starts for Kids levy and the City of Seattle is contributing $2.4 million from the JumpStart Payroll Expense Tax.

Nearly 90 percent of eligible licensed child care providers in the county applied for the retention payments, reflecting a deep need in the workforce. Due to the number of applications, the one-time payment will range from $400 – $500 per child care worker and begin to reach providers this month through September.

"Child care workers are essential to a healthy, thriving region, providing critical services to families and communities every day," said King County Executive Dow Constantine. 

"We are committed to access to affordable child care and respectful wages for child care workers, and these investments provide the necessary support to ensure both. We're grateful for our partnership with Mayor Harrell and the City of Seattle and will continue to collaborate on ways we can invest in this workforce."

 

More information here