As the executive director of Community-Minded Enterprises (CME) in Spokane, my job and our mission is to ensure that all children in licensed child care are in a high-quality environments that support healthy and essential child development.

And we have a partner, the state of Washington. We are working together to create the best early learning system in the country with existing licensed providers at the center of that work.

Our coaches are working with 734 licensed programs caring for over 9,000 children. We are a private nonprofit in partnership with the Washington State Department of Early Learning and Thrive Washington. CME is the administrator of Child Care Aware of Eastern Washington and the Early Achievers program that trains and coaches early learning teachers in licensed centers and family child care homes at no cost.

In our community, negative and often false assumptions about licensed child care have surfaced. One of the main assumptions is that all young parents have supportive neighbors and family who are able to care for their children when they work. While this may be the reality for a select few, unfortunately this is not the norm for our region or the state as a whole. Consequently, Washington state, Thrive Washington and our program have taken lead roles over the past 30 years and established health and safety standards to keep young children safe when a parent is paying for their child’s care.

Payment to a neighbor or family member for services rendered (caring for the child in the neighbor’s home) indicates that the caregiver is now a small business and must comply with federal, state and local regulations including becoming licensed to use their home for this purpose. However, there are exceptions for family members in Washington state.

A family member of a parent returning to work can legally care for the child in their own home and not be licensed. In fact, if the parent is low income, the state will reimburse the family member through the Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) subsidy program. In addition, if a neighbor wishes to care for the child in the child’s home, they do not need to be licensed. Also, if the parent is low income, WCCC will pay the neighbor for the care.

Licensed child care is about health and safety. The need for basic CPR, first aid, HIV/AIDS blood-borne pathogen training, and a TB test for someone caring for another person’s child on a regular basis and during extended hours is essential. What parent wouldn’t want high standards for their children’s care givers, especially when it comes to life-saving tools?

Another assumption about licensed child care is that there is a high cost associated with owning and operating these small businesses. The total cost (including fingerprints and background checks) for a family with two members over 16 to meet the health and safety standards is $485. Add the $30 business license and the investment for this small business is $515. All of these costs would be deductible as a business expense on their federal taxes.

In addition, family child care is unionized similar to home health care workers. Once licensed, they are eligible for health insurance through SEIU. The $150 cost required for the class called Child Care Basics is fully refundable once they receive a Certificate of Completion.

Once licensed, the Early Achievers program offers the caregiver “mini grants” to make changes in their home, scholarships to complete their AA and BA degree, coaching and training to complete their rating and achieve a level of excellence. By stepping into the world of licensed family child care, they can achieve a level of professionalism and support they would not get as an hourly, “paid-under-the-table” neighbor or “baby sitter.”

Parents deserve to know that their children are in quality care environments and safe and supportive spaces when they are at work.

Making assumptions about licensed child care and promoting unlicensed care and incorrect information only sets Washington children back. We have progressed so far since the “day care” days. Many of the state’s licensed providers are exceptional educators - sending time teaching children social and emotional development, healthy nutrition, art, diversity in cultures and more! As a community, we need to tap into the potential of children and promote passion for learning early, so we can see them succeed.

Kathy Thamm is executive director of Community-Minded Enterprises.