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University of Washington capstone urges DCYF to market employer‑supported child care and convene partnerships
Summary
A University of Washington graduate team presented research to the Early Learning Advisory Council finding employers lack awareness of employer‑supported child care options and recommending two low‑cost first steps for DCYF: education/marketing to employers and facilitation of public‑private partnerships and technical assistance.
A University of Washington graduate student team told the Early Learning Advisory Council that employer‑supported child care could expand access and support workforce participation, but employers often do not know how to set up or partner for such arrangements.
"The purpose of the project is to examine the feasibility of employer supported childcare models in Washington state and explore the role DCYF could play," said Jana Paige, a capstone presenter. The team used 13 employer surveys, seven interviews representing 24 of Washington’s 39 counties, and a multi‑state comparison to reach its conclusions.
The students reported that key barriers are limited child care supply, high costs, non‑standardized operating hours and employer unfamiliarity with partnership models. Their two recommendations for immediate implementation — chosen because of current budget constraints — are for DCYF to (1) provide and market education and resources to employers about employer‑supported child care options, and (2) facilitate public‑private partnerships by convening employers, providers and local agencies and offering technical assistance.
Presenters told the council they intentionally emphasized low‑cost, actionable steps after DCYF staff said the project had no new funding to spend. "Because of this, we believe DCYF can play an important role in increasing awareness and helping employers better understand how these models can work in practice," the team said.
Council members and legislators asked about the study’s intent and sample size. Representative Levit said he worried about setting expectations in a tight fiscal environment; presenters said the work aimed to identify feasible steps under current budget constraints rather than to make an immediate case for large new investments.
DCYF staff present signaled interest in following up: Julisa Soulberg, who helped coordinate the project with the students, said DCYF will "gather to continue the exploration of past employer supported care programs," look for existing toolkits that can be repackaged for employers, and refine definitions of the employers DCYF should target.
Next steps described to the council include targeted employer outreach, a centralized resource hub and tracking employer engagement with an online dashboard; the students suggested a 12‑ to 18‑month timeline for initial implementation checks.
The presentation and Q&A underscore DCYF’s immediate, low‑cost options to connect employers with providers and to raise employer awareness without new state appropriations.
