Do you have a question about the Department of Early Learning, child care or other early learning topics? This page has answers.
For Child Care Providers
Do I need a license to provide care?
You need a license to provide care if:
- You are caring for a child or children who are not related to you (except a close relative); and
- The care is on an ongoing, regularly scheduled basis for the purpose of engaging in business.
You can also read the Minimum Licensing Requirements (MLR) for child care centers, family homes, or licensed school-age centers.
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How do I get licensed?
The licensing process begins with orientation, which can be a group meeting or an individual meeting with a licensor, depending on where you live. During orientation, you will receive information about:
- The licensing process
- Providing child care
- Resources to help you through the licensing process
- Access to training and other resources once you are licensed
During orientation, you will be encouraged to think about why you want to be a child care provider. You'll want to assess your:
- Business skills
- Abilities to work with children
- Determination, personality, experience and finances
- Particular child care space
You will receive a license application, instructions about how to fill out the application and other related information. The licensor(s) conducting the orientation will explain how to complete the application form and what other information you must send in with the application.
Once you send in your application, DEL has 90 days to act on your application. If you are applying for a home license, a DEL licensor will contact you to schedule an inspection. The DEL licensor and a DEL health specialist will come to your center to inspect it. They will also talk with you about how you plan to offer child care. Throughout the whole licensing process, DEL staff will work closely with you.
During the licensing process you might also want to be in touch with your local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency. Resource and referral agencies maintain a current list of licensed child care centers and homes so they can make child care referrals for parents and guardians needing child care. Agencies also offer a variety of services both for potential and already-licensed child care providers.
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What kind of monitoring does DEL do for licensed child care providers?
DEL licensing staff works with licensed providers to offer safe, healthy, nurturing environments. Monitoring includes:
- Inspection by a licensor of child care areas every three years
- Unannounced monitoring of the facility every 18 months (licensed family homes) and every year (child care centers)
- Health and safety inspections (centers only)
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What kind of training does a licensed child care provider need?
A provider needs current CPR, First Aid, and HIV/AIDS training, plus 20 hours of "basic training" the first year of being licensed and 10 hours for each additional year. Get more information by reading the Minimum Licensing Requirements (MLR).
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What kinds of training opportunities are available for me as a licensed child care provider?
There are various professional development opportunities available for licensed child care providers. Please visit our Providers and Educators section to learn more.
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For Parents
How do I find activities to do with my children in my community?
There are many ways to find fun, low-cost things to do in your community. Start by checking your local newspaper's event calendar or visit the Web site of your local library, youth museum, parks and recreation department or community center. You can also click here for more parent resources.
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How do I find licensed child care?
You can contact your local Child Care Resource & Referral office for a list of licensed child care providers in your community.
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How do I find out whether my family is eligible for child care subsidies?
Please visit our Working Connections Child Care page to find out if your family is eligible for child care subsidies
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How do I learn the license status of my child care provider?
Visit DEL's Licensed Child Care Information System Web site, or call 1.866.482.4325 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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Proposal Submission - For Bidders
Can I get all the information I need from this Web site?
Check DEL's Web site frequently for updated information. It is the responsibility of the prospective bidder to be aware of any changes in the procurement schedule and updates to particular procurements. All of the information is posted on the DEL Web site. If you have specific questions about a particular procurement, please refer to the solicitation document for instructions.
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How do I submit my completed proposal?
The proposal is to be sent to the coordinator in accordance with the delivery instructions specified in the solicitation document.
Allow sufficient delivery time to ensure timely receipt by the coordinator. You assume the risk for the method of delivery and for any delay in the mailing or delivery of your proposal.
Proposals must be prepared and submitted no later than the proposal submission date and time specified in the particular solicitation document. DEL reserves the right to disqualify any proposal and withdraw it from consideration if it is received after the proposal submission deadline. All proposals and any accompanying documentation become the property of DEL and will not be returned.
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How will I know if there are procurement opportunities available to me?
DEL announces procurement opportunities on our Web site and in the legal notice section of the Daily Journal of Commerce and other publications, as appropriate.
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Is there a difference between a procurement and a solicitation?
The words procurement and solicitation refer to the same process of inviting companies to bid on opportunities to provide goods and services to DEL. The actual document outlining the goods and services may be called any of the following: Procurement, Solicitation, Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quotation (RFQ), Request for Qualifications and Quotation (RFQQ), or Request for Information (RFI), depending on the purpose of the procurement.
The document that is sent by the bidder to DEL in response to a solicitation is called the bid, the response or the proposal.
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May I submit my proposal via e-mail?
Check the particular solicitation document for instructions on submitting your proposal.
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What is my best resource for information about the procurement?
The solicitation document and subsequent amendments contain all of the information and directions necessary to participate in the procurement process. Be sure to read the entire document. It is important to follow all of the directions and meet all deadlines.
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What is the schedule for a procurement?
The schedule for each procurement is located in the solicitation document. DEL reserves the right to revise the schedule and will notify bidders of any changes to the schedule. Schedule revisions will be issued in an amendment.
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Who do I contact with questions?
Upon release of any solicitation document, all communications concerning the procurement must be directed only to the coordinator identified in the solicitation document. Any communication directed to DEL staff other than the coordinator may result in disqualification.
Any oral communications will be considered unofficial and non-binding to DEL. Bidders should rely only on written statements issued by the coordinator.
All questions should be in writing to the coordinator and may be sent through fax, U.S. mail or e-mail. Questions will be accepted until the date set forth in the solicitation document schedule.
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Will I be reimbursed for the costs to propose?
DEL will not be liable for any costs incurred by the bidder in preparation of a proposal or in presenting a proposal for any procurement.
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Working Connections Child Care subsidies for providers
How can I find out the child care subsidy rate for providers?
Child care subsidy rates are public information and are available from several sources: The Department of Early Learning Internet in PDF format in English and Spanish
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How do I complete the invoice if the child is attending full-days and the authorization is for half-days?
Sometimes a parent may be using more care than is authorized for their approved activity. If a parent wants care for personal reasons, they may pay you directly for that care. Sometimes a parent's circumstances have changed and they may be eligible for more care. If this is the case, the authorization will be adjusted. You can complete your invoice and a second invoice will be sent IF the parent is eligible for more child care.
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How do I know I am authorized to provide WCCC?
You must submit a completed WCCC Part 2 of the WCCC application (DSHS 14-417) to the Community Services Office (CSO) or Customer Service Center (CSC) by mail, fax, or phone. The child care authorizing worker reviews the form and determines what can be authorized, the start date and end date. You can check if care has been authorized by:
- Receiving a Social Services Notice by mail 5-10 days after the child care authorizing worker inputs the authorization.
- Calling the Working Connections Information Phone at 1.866.218.3244. This information is available moments after the child care authorizing worker inputs the authorization.
- Asking the CSO or CSC for a Data Input Sheet. This sheet has the same information as the Social Services Notice. Providing the Data Input Sheet is optional and not required of the office.
A copy of the Award Letter (DSHS 07-066) is not a guarantee of payment. If you provide care without proof of the authorization you may not receive payment.
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How do I know if a family is eligible for WCCC?
Eligibility for WCCC is determined after a careful review of the family's circumstances. Families must be: Working or participating in work-related activities, and Meeting income eligibility requirements.
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How do I know when an authorization ends?
The Social Services Notice and Child Care End Date Reminder tell you when an authorization ends.
You receive a Social Services Notice when care is authorized. The notice includes many items, including the last day of authorized service for each child.
You receive the Child Care End Date Reminder 30-35 days before the end of a family's eligibility period. The letter states the date the child care authorization ends. Unauthorized child care is not eligible for payment.
If you are unsure if an authorization will continue, you can call the Working Connections information phone at 1.866.218.3244.
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How do I know who to call for help when I don't know if the parent is eligible for WCCC?
Once a parent's eligibility for WCCC is determined, the information is available to you through the Working Connections Child Care information phone at 1.866.218.3244.
If the parent's eligibility has not been determined, the information will not be available on the Working Connections Child Care information phone.
If you do not know if the parent is eligible, you can decide how you want to proceed.
Some providers do not accept children into care until eligibility is determined. Other providers charge the parent the daily rate until eligibility is determined or accept the child in care and wait for the determination to be made. How you proceed is your business decision.
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If the subsidy reimbursement rate is lower than my rate as a provider, may I charge the difference to the parent?
If you are a licensed/certified child care provider, you are not allowed to charge the parent the difference between your rate and the child care subsidy rate when the subsidy rate is lower. A third party may pay the difference between your rate and the subsidy rate, but you may not require a parent to find a third party if you accept the child into care. A third party may be a family member, an agency, a tribal nation, or others.
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What about reimbursement for care for a child with special needs?
The child must have documentation that states the child has special needs and requires a higher level of care than other children of that age. Have the parent contact the authorizing worker for more information about special needs rates.
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What happens when care ends earlier than the date on the Social Service Notice?
Child care authorizing workers send a 10-day advance notice to the family when care ends early and close the authorization. You receive a Social Services Notice when the child care authorizing worker closes the care. The notice states the new last date of the authorization. You should receive this notice before the new last date of the authorization.
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What is the action I take when children are not listed on the invoice?
Contact the authorizing worker if a child's name is missing from the invoice. If you do not know who the authorizing worker is, contact your local customer service center's general information line for assistance. NOTE: Some areas have a special telephone number just for child care providers.
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What is the field trip fee for?
The field trip fee is to cover the cost of specific activities. The fee must be required of all parents in the program.
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What is the required notice that I must give when I no longer want to care for a child who receives WCCC subsidies?
Parents do not have to give you a specific amount of notice if they want to leave your child care. Your notice requirement should be outlined in your policies for all parents. If all your families sign a contract requiring notice, families who are eligible for subsidy are also subject to that notice requirement.
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When can I charge a registration fee when the parent changes his or her mind and someone else provides care?
You are eligible for the registration fee, when the child does not attend IF you completed your portion of the application or the authorizing worker indicated payment was approved.
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When can I get paid if the child is in care for a longer day?
Ask the parent to contact the authorizing worker to explain the circumstances. The authorizing worker will determine if they are eligible for an additional payment. If additional care is approved, the Working Connections Child Care Answer Phone will provide the updated information.
If the parent is not eligible for additional payment, you may charge the parent extra when the family is requesting child care for personal reasons.
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