COVID-19 EMERGENCY RULES
- Emergency child care license requirements;
- Public records (in person contacts and responding to requests); and
- Child care subsidy program (billing, Early Achievers requirements, copayments, eligibility redetermination, and electronic attendance start date for new providers).
DCYF anticipates adopting additional emergency rules as policies change in response to the pandemic. Updates to existing emergency rules impacting child care subsidies are also anticipated. Emergency rules in effect are available at https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/practice/policy-laws-rules/rule-making/emergency-rules.
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families has developed a guidance document for child placing agencies, group homes and foster care providers in meeting the Washington Administrative Code/Policy requirements during COVID-19 restrictions. If you have questions, please contact your regional licensor.
RULES UNDER DEVELOPMENT
Background checks: DCYF intends to implement chapter 9.97 RCW, which requires adoption of rules that explain when certificates of restoration of opportunity will be considered in background checks and when they will not. The department also intends to update rules that clarify certain criminal convictions that (1) may disqualify an individual from being licensed, contracted, certified, or authorized to have unsupervised access to children, or (2) trigger further review to determine the applicant’s character, suitability, and competence to have unsupervised access to children. Finally, rules are being developed to implement Chapter 270, Laws of 2020, Certificates of Parental Involvement.
PARTICIPATE IN RULE MAKING
Read more about the planned rule making and the proposed rules at https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/practice/policy-laws-rules/rule-making/participate/online.
Comments may be made online, by email or in person at the scheduled hearing:
- Online: https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/practice/policy-laws-rules/rule-making/participate/online
- Email to [email protected]
- Attend a hearing. Unless otherwise noted, hearings are held at 1110 Jefferson Street S.E. in Olympia (the former Department of Early Learning headquarters).
DCYF staff gives equal weight to all comments regardless of whether they are made in person, online, or sent by email.