On average families save $7,500 annually with Seattle’s child care subsidy assistance program
SEATTLE – (March 7) – The Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) is proud to announce the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) is expanding its capacity to serve newly eligible families. Families living in Seattle are invited to apply for the child subsidy assistance via the online portal.
The City of Seattle supports child care for local families through CCAP, which provides financial assistance to families to help cover child care costs for children ages one month to 12 years old. Families’ subsidies are calculated using family size, family income, the hours of care needed for a child, and age of the child. On average, families save $7,500 annually with CCAP.
For families to qualify for CCAP, they must:
- Live within the Seattle city limits
- Have an income below 94% of the State Median Income (SMI)
- Demonstrate ineligibility for other child care subsidy programs
- Have a demonstrated need for child care based on work, school, or training schedule, enrollment in a qualified job training or education program, or other circumstances resulting in the need for child care during certain hours of the day.
Income eligibility guidelines can be found on the CCAP web page.
“Affordable, accessible child care is the foundation of thriving communities, setting our youngest learners up for success in school and life and supporting working parents and families,” said Mayor Bruce Harrell. “Through investments in child care assistance, adding new classrooms to the award-winning Seattle Preschool Program, and the upcoming renewal of the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy, we will continue driving progress to make Seattle a great city to start and raise a family.”
“Tiny Tots has been partnering with the City of Seattle [and] CCAP for over 50 years, and we are proud to be part of the safety net of services for Seattle’s working families,” said Tiny Tots Director of Health and Family Services Jaqueline Boles. “Tiny Tots currently has child care openings at all three of our child care sites.”
More than 263 licensed child care providers in the city of Seattle accept CCAP vouchers, and families can choose from center-based child care, home-based Family Child Care, and school-age programs, including before- and after-school and summer programs. To check eligibility, visit seattle.gov/CCAP. In-language assistance is available, contact (206) 386-1050 or email CCAP@seattle.gov.
“As a small home child care business I choose to partner with CCAP because the vouchers really help working families to afford child care and keep their child care budget low,” said Le Jardin Daycare and Preschool Family Child Care Provider Marthe Daix. “This means I am able to focus on providing quality care to children because I know the CCAP payment is reliable and that is important for a small business.” Le Jardin is currently accepting CCAP seats for school age children, while space is available.
“I am proud of the work DEEL and our intake team has done to serve working families and parents pursuing educational programs by connecting them to the Child Care Assistance Program so they can provide for their families, ” said DEEL Director Dr. Dwane Chappelle. “Our wonderful CCAP providers are ready to welcome new families and provide a safe and nurturing environment for our city’s kids so that parents can have a peace of mind.”
CCAP served 844 children in 2023 and 660 children from 499 families in 2024.
CCAP is open to all eligible children, regardless of their citizenship status, race, gender, ethnicity or developmental need. To review Frequently Asked Questions, visit the CCAP web page. Informational flyers are available in:
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