WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A child care subsidy program expected to help hundreds of Whatcom County children is a key focus of a recent report. 

The report from the Child and Family Well-Being Task Force, a 30-member county advisory group focused on issues affecting children and families, highlights the recent approval of a $7.05 million contract with AidKit to administer the new Whatcom Kids First Child Care Subsidy Program through 2028.

Funded through the voter-approved Healthy Children’s Fund, the program will provide child care assistance of $300 per month per child to eligible Whatcom County families with children age 5 or younger and household incomes at or below 75% of the state median income. 

The program is expected to help at least 1,400 children in its first full year, making it the largest investment in child care affordability in county history.  

“This is an exciting milestone for the Healthy Children’s Fund! A central purpose for the creation of the fund was to make quality child care more affordable and more accessible, and Kids First will achieve that for more than a thousand families every year. I am very pleased to see this program move forward,” County Executive Satpal Sidhu said.  

Whatcom County Health and Community Services spokesperson Marie Junek says licensed child care providers – including child care centers, family home daycare and other state-regulated early learning programs – are expected to begin enrolling in the program in January, with eligible families likely able to enroll starting the following month. The subsidy will be paid directly to licensed providers to reduce child care costs. 

“Child care is one of the largest expenses many parents face. Families will directly feel the benefits in their monthly budget,” said Sarah Simpson, Child and Family Programs Supervisor with WCHCS. “This contract provides relief for local families. It took an incredible amount of effort from our entire team and local stakeholders, and I am deeply grateful for the dedication of everyone involved.” 

The initiative also includes payments to providers serving children enrolled in the state’s Working Connections Child Care program and outreach aimed at increasing enrollment. Junek says only 19% of eligible families currently receive that assistance, and said increasing participation could bring an additional $1 million in state child care funding into the county. 

The subsidy program is part of a broader expansion of child care investments through the Healthy Children’s Fund. An Oct. 13 update presented to the Whatcom County Council shows the fund had awarded more than $23.7 million through 63 contracts supporting 35 organizations across Whatcom County. 

Fund-supported internships and new provider positions helped deliver 4,379 additional mental health therapy sessions for children ages 5 and younger and their caregivers between 2024 and 2026 through organizations including Brigid Collins Family Support Center, Whatcom Center for Early Learning and Lydia Place. 

Providers reported the funding expanded access to care and improved outcomes for families.

Brigid Collins said Healthy Children’s Fund support increased its capacity to serve an additional 150 Medicaid-eligible families each year, equal to about 2,800 therapy sessions annually. The Whatcom Center for Early Learning said the program helped parents build emotional resilience, strengthen parenting skills and gain confidence in social settings. 

Child care assistance report weighs in on county jail design

The report also details the group’s work on the effects of parental incarceration on children and families. After reviewing plans for the proposed new jail facility, the task force  recommended child-friendly visitation spaces, dedicated family visitation rooms, efforts to identify incarcerated parents during intake and shared space for attorneys and family service providers working with affected families. 

Task force member Sallye Quinn said all families deserve the opportunity to thrive. 

“Funding should be allocated to make the jail’s visitation spaces child-friendly and to develop a sustainable visitation program for children of incarcerated parents. Allowing parents and children to maintain their connections improves child well-being and makes our community safer,” she said. 

According to the Programming Executive Summary approved by the Whatcom County Council in August, several elements of the jail project remain under review, including opportunities for contact visitation. 

While the council identified contact visitation as a desired feature, the report says it is not currently feasible within the recommended design and available budget. Project planners will continue evaluating design alternatives and funding opportunities as the project moves forward. 

The task force also heard from community experts on issues including food insecurity, public health priorities and challenges facing the early-learning sector. Members supplemented those discussions through outreach at events such as the Focus on Children Conference and Kids Fest, gathering feedback directly from families, child care providers and community partners.

Future financial outlook for Healthy Children’s Fund

The report notes the Healthy Children’s Fund remains on solid financial footing. The proposed 2027-28 budget includes $25 million for early learning and child care initiatives, $8.1 million for programs supporting vulnerable children and $2.4 million for administration.

Even after those investments and maintaining recommended cash reserves, projections show between $6.2 million and $9.2 million could remain available at the end of 2028 for future priorities and emerging community needs.