On Monday, Mayor Katie Wilson signed the spending plan for the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy (FEPP) passed by voters last November. And on Tuesday, Seattle’s Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) moved its vision to make child care more affordable to local families forward a notch. The department emailed the families of 555 children participating in the city’s Child Care Assistance Program to let them know they will receive, on average, an additional $499 per month in childcare co-pay support through the FEPP spending plan. Infants from newborn to one year of age will get the highest level of support, with an average monthly co-pay increase of $754.
“For a family with a young baby, an extra $754 in your pocket every month makes a huge difference. Those dollars can go toward diapers, rent, healthcare, groceries, savings, or any number of other expenses,” said DEEL Director Dwane Chappelle. “This funding is just one piece of the broader support now available to Seattle families through the levy.”
Marissa Rousselle, DEEL’s Impact & External Affairs Division director, said parents who received the email announcing a co-pay support increase were pretty excited:
“Thank you so much for this incredible news! It truly made our year,” one parent replied.
Another wrote: “This will be such an amazing release on our financial situation. With inflation, it has been even more challenging to keep us floating.”
If you live in Seattle and need assistance with child care costs, the city’s program may help, Rousselle said: “We are always accepting applications to CCAP, and we know there are many quality, licensed child care providers who have capacity to support more families.”
To apply for child care assistance, go to the DEEL website to apply for child care assistance.
