Children Receiving State-Subsidized Child Care

Compared to Population Age 12 & Under

• The average monthly caseloads shown here include children receiving subsidized child care in Child Care Development Fund programs as well as Therapeutic Child Care and child care through Adoption Support.
• Most state-subsidized child care is for children under 13. Children age 13 to 18 are eligible for subsidies if they are physically or mentally incapable of caring for themselves or are under court supervision.
• Declining caseloads in fiscal year 2012 and 2013 were partially a result of policy changes implemented between October 2010 and March 2011.
• Increases in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 resulted from the reversal of the 2010 and 2011 policy changes.
• With the advent of "stay at home" directives to help mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for child care fell in FY 2020 and FY 2021.
• The number in children in household receiving subsidized care is above pre-pandemic levels. With the rebound in the economy, and the return of folks to more normal work situations, the number of child care enrollees increased 17.8% year-over-year in fiscal year 2024, following a 14.8% year-over-year in fiscal year 2023.

Data sources:

• Office of Financial Management
• Caseload Forecast Council

E-mail: OFM.Forecasting@ofm.wa.gov