SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — Finding quality childcare is often challenging and frustrating for families – especially in Snohomish County.
“Snohomish County is considered a childcare desert in a childcare desert state,” said County Councilmember Jared Mead.
Councilmembers Mead and Nate Nehring co-sponsored an ordinance, unanimously approved by the County Council Wednesday, which aims to expand childcare availability in unincorporated areas of the county.
“It simplifies the permitting process, expands zones where you’re able to site childcare facilities – hopefully opens up the map for people who want to introduce these facilities and improve affordability and accessibility for Snohomish County families,” said Nehring.
In Snohomish County, there are only 62 childcare slots for every 100 kids with working parents.
The county needs 3,500 more slots to reach the state average, with 13,000 slots needed to provide care for every child.
“You create more slots, supply-demand, you’re going to have more accessibility. Parents are going to have more choice and costs will come down – that’s the idea,” said Mead.
Jason Turner and his wife own Mill Creek Preschool.
He says the new ordinance will allow them to expand and help more families.
“This is going to allow us to grow here – where we’re already located – in the neighborhood where people know us, without spending millions of dollars that we don’t have,” said Turner.
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