Early learning advocacy: No childcare for kids with disabilities

This is part of a series of legislative updates on the state's 2022 General Session. See also:

• Growing ECEAP
• Transitional kindergarten
  

Have you struggled to find childcare? 

For years in disability circles, families have reported high rates of refusal or removal, or requests to provide 1:1 support themselves. In terms of childcare research, this creates a desert, or absence of support for a particular community. 

Substitute House Bill 2082 - Assessing Child Care Access, focuses on childcare deserts for children with developmental delay or disabilities.

• Comment on HB 2082
• HB 2082: Background paper for childcare and children with disabilities

Why is this important? Because the Department of Children, Youth & Families has left out this demographic when assessing gaps in childcare access. The bill was rewritten in committee but still focuses on the developmental disability community and still tries to gather information the state needs to resolve lack of access. The bill:

• Requires the Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) to conduct competitive procurement as necessary to conduct a statewide assessment of child care access for families of children with developmental delay or disabilities
  
  
• Requires DCYF to partner with the Office of the Developmental Disabilities Ombuds and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to review the statewide assessment and make recommendations to increase the availability, affordability, and accessibility of childcare for families of children with developmental delay or disabilities.

The bill is waiting for a vote in the state House of Representatives. If approved, it moves over to the state Senate for committee action and possible vote.

• You can read about the bill and track its progress here
  
• If this matter is important to you, please comment here. This state legislative website link takes you to a comment form that is sent to your elected members.
• For the wonky: We created an informal policy paper that reviews the situation families of children with disabilities find themselves in, including information about programs and relevant disability and civil rights law.

 

King County Child Care Financial Assistance Program

• Flyer in English
• Flyer in Spanish
• CARES Act Child Care Financial Assistance Information
  

From Child Care Resources:

Child Care Resources is pleased to announce our partnership with the King County CARES Act Child Care Financial Assistance Program, which is offering child care subsidies from September 2020 - December 2020.

King County CARES Child Care Financial Assistance Program will allow families to access up to four months of child care financial assistance. For families that were already in childcare in September, this program will be able to backdate as of 9/1/2020. Unlike the Homeless Child Care Subsidy Program, families do not need to be experiencing housing instability in order to utilize this funding. Additionally, we will be able to assist families with co-pays for Working Connections, CCAP, or Seattle Parks and Rec through this program.

For families may be eligible if:

1. The child is aged 0-12 
2. They live or work in King County
3. Their income falls under 400% FPL
4. The families income, work schedule or access to childcare has been negatively impacted by COVD-19, or
   Parent(s)/Caregivers are essential workers

To complete an application and determine eligibility families can:

• Call or text 1-800-446-114 to request an application, or
• Fill out an online application at https://tinyurl.com/kingCCFA

For more information please refer to the attached flyers and information sheet.

Child Care Resources improves all children’s access to high quality early learning experiences by engaging with families, caregivers, and communities. Embedded in Child Care Resources’ daily work is identifying and addressing racism so that all children thrive in their early learning environments.

We need expertise with developmental delay on Early Learning Advisory Council

To engage on these bills:

• SB 5247- Updating Department of Early Learning advising and contracting mechanisms
• HB 1719 -Updating Department of Early Learning advising and contracting mechanisms 
• Send a note to lead sponsors: Email Rep. Hans Zeiger, SB 5427; Email John Lovick, HB 1719

Click on bill number/link above, then click on "Comment on this bill." (It will be on right.) As usual, your stories are what is most important to share.

BACKGROUND:

Families who have children with developmental delay or disability often struggle to find and keep child care or early learning opportunities.

At The Arc of King County we respectfully challenge the state to think inclusively about young children with developmental delay or disability and take a firm, proactive stance to make sure families have options.

From a parents’ perspective, there are zero to very limited options for inclusive early learning – or child care of any kind. There is little or no training for staff on how to work with a child with behavioral differences, or how to have a conversation with a family if a provider thinks a child might need to be evaluated for developmental delay.

We think that can change.