Child Care Providers to Be Celebrated by Governor Inslee

OLYMPIA, WA – May 4, 2021 – Governor Inslee will issue a Ceremonial Proclamation this Friday, May 7th expressing his appreciation for Washington’s child care providers, who have always helped power our economy by allowing parents to work, and who have provided exceptional services to their communities during the pandemic. Their work is making it possible for thousands of essential/frontline workers to do their work that serves everyone. Gov. Inslee will sign Washington’s Fair Start for Kids Act during a virtual celebration of providers from 10:30 – 11:30 that morning. Media are invited. Please register here.

Gov. Inslee deemed child care providers essential in March 2020 to ensure that healthcare workers, first responders and other critical workers could go to work. During the past 14 months our state’s providers have struggled to stay open. They have navigated ever-changing health and safety guidelines and COVID-19 prevention strategies, faced financial strain due to having fewer children to care for and higher costs due to increased sanitation needs and cared for school-age children who were learning remotely. Some Washington providers became ill with the virus themselves, and many helped families of children in their care cope with illness and bereavement. Many providers faced all of this without having health insurance. Some even dipped into their personal savings accounts to cover costs so they could stay open.

“I am inviting all Washingtonians to join me in celebrating National Child Care Provider Appreciation Day on May 7th by recognizing the tremendous value child care workers bring to the families they serve as well as to their communities. This past year, thousands of child care workers across the state have been providing care and support to the children of health care workers and other critical infrastructure workers on the front lines of the state’s pandemic response. I’m encouraging parents, families, and employers throughout Washington to join me in celebrating all child care workers on May 7th, National Child Care Provider Appreciation Day.”

During the past 14 months, up to 24% of Washington’s licensed child care providers closed, most temporarily due to exposure or potential exposure to the virus, or because they did not have enough children to care for. Providers have experienced an average 47% reduction in enrollment and income during the pandemic due to families keeping their children home and health guidelines requiring lower enrollment to keep children safe. Nearly 30% of WA’s child care workforce was laid off. Additionally, providers struggled to find the essential supplies they need to safely operate. Items such as toilet paper and bleach were nearly impossible to find. Child Care Aware of Washington (CCA of WA) helped supply these essentials for providers and helped thousands of programs by assisting with grant applications, understanding health and safety guidelines and creatively finding ways to support and care for children while also practicing physical distancing.

“Child care providers have gone the proverbial extra mile and more this past year,” said CCA of WA Chief Executive Officer Deeann Burtch Puffert. “We know they deserve extra kudos and celebration on this Child Care Provider Appreciation Day. We hope families and the business community joins us in appreciating these incredible providers who have literally kept us all going during these difficult months.”

Child Care Aware of Washington is a non-profit, 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to connecting families to local, high-quality, licensed child care and early learning programs, and to supporting providers who deliver high-quality care. As a statewide network of six regional agencies, we work directly with child care providers, offering professional development services and higher education scholarships to help providers integrate research-based,

best practices into their programs. We track child care supply, demand and cost data statewide and in every county. We are committed to ensuring that each and every child in Washington, regardless of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, culture, primary language or economic status, has access to the quality care and early learning they need to succeed in school and life. For more information, please visit our website at https://childcareawarewa.org/ and follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Child-Care-Aware-of-Washington-149636987661/ and on Twitter @childcarewa.