(The Center Square) – More than 3,700 child care workers in Seattle are receiving a one-time payment of up to $1,380, the city’s largest direct payment to date.
The Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning is utilizing a total of $5.3 million in Jumpstart Payroll Expense Tax funds for the payments. The city stated that the funds are intended to support the retention of child care workers.
“Child care workers – and a strong and stable workforce – are critical for ongoing pandemic recovery and healthy communities,” Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said in a statement. “Investing in our child care providers will ensure that the people who care for Seattle’s youngest learners can continue to provide them with high-quality early learning opportunities.”
The 3,750 workers receiving funds represent 500 child care provider agencies across the city, including center-based, school-age and family child care programs.
According to the city, about 72% of licensed child care providers in the city applied for the one-time payments on behalf of their staff. This year’s distribution to child care workers includes 46 first-time agencies receiving retention payments, 78% of which are family child care providers.
The payments are subject to administrative fees and taxes.
Including this latest $5.3 million payment, the Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning’s partnership with BrightSpark Early Learning Services has delivered $13.5 million in direct funds to child care workers since 2021.
Previous awards include $2.4 million in August 2022, $2.9 million in December 2021, $2.3 million in February 2021, and $535,000 in general fund dollars supporting child care provider stabilization grants in May 2021.
“While additional investments are needed to advance wage equity in this sector, retention payments provide urgent financial relief for our city’s critical, yet historically underpaid, child care workforce,” said Dwane Chappelle, Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning director.
