Sims releases results of Homeless Child Care Needs Assessment

King County Executive Ron Sims today released the “Homeless Child Care Needs Assessment,” a report that shares the experiences of a diverse group of homeless parents as they struggled to find and maintain quality homeless child care services in King County. The report also offers solutions to help parents break the cycle of homelessness and underscores the critical need for support services, especially child care, in order for families to achieve and maintain stability.

“Children and families who are homeless represent some of our most vulnerable citizens. I thank these courageous parents for their commitment to completing this research and publishing their report, even as they continued to struggle with their own personal challenges of homelessness,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “This study shows that access to quality child care and other support services are crucial to the stabilization of families. Even as we face a critical shortfall in federal funding for homeless services, we must continue to look at ways to address these needs.”

The report underscores the challenge facing this region following the recent announcement that Seattle and King County would receive only $10.1 million in federal McKinney Homelessness Assistance funds, $4.8 million short of what is needed to sustain current homeless programs. The year 2000 award failed to renew support for six critical programs, including $678,466 specifically designated for child care services. Hundreds of children and families in shelter and transitional housing programs throughout the county will be affected by the loss of funding.

The two-year project was completed by the Homeless Child Care Task Force, a group of eight recently and/or currently homeless parents who conducted the research and interviewed 32 parents from around King County. They received support from the Regional Homeless Child Care Advisory Group, comprised of representatives from King County homeless shelters, homeless child care providers, and homeless child care subsidy and referral agencies. Copies of the report are available.

Updated: Feb. 15, 2000