Helpful Articles..

Child Care Health Prep: Immunization and Medical Care

Choosing In Home (Nanny) Care

Families Are Not All Alike

For Families

To Find Licensed Child Care

We help families access and choose quality child care and school-age care.

Use our online search: For families we offer an online search of child care providers in King County Washington. Please click in the “Families Find Child Care” box to the right to subscribe to the find child care search. Read what parents say..

Call our referral line: Families can also call our telephone referral service at (206)329-5544.

The information found in this section for families will help you learn more about the child care options available, how to choose and interview prospective providers so you can make the best selection for your child care needs.

Licensed Child Care Choices

There are two types of licensed child care. A Child Care Center offers full or part-time care in a same-age group setting. A Family Child Care Home offers full or part-time care in a person’s home with mixed ages. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Read More..

Other Types of Care Choices
In-home care is when an individual (nanny) cares for your child in your home. Au Pairs are young people from Europe who live with American families and provide child care as part of their responsibility to their host family. Read more..
Family, friends, neighbors and babysitters contribute to the care of children as well. Read more..

QRIS – Quality Rating Improvement System
The overarching goal of QRIS is to boot the quality of child care available to families, while giving the providers the tools and support they need to raise the level of quality of their programs. Read more..

Parent Central
Join Parent Central. If you have a child under age 8, sign up to receive Parent Central Express, a monthly e-newsletter, full of tips for parents, with activities and ways to get involved in your community. You can also sign up to be alerted about opportunities to voice your concerns to local and national decision makers. Just click on the link below.