Eight Family Home Rules Public Meetings Scheduled for April

Eight public meetings around the draft family home rules (WACs) are now scheduled in April. Why is this exciting? It took two years, dozens of meetings and participation from child care providers, DEL licensors, children’s advocates and parents through a unique Negotiated Rule Making Process to get to this point.

Family Home WACs are the state rules for child care providers operating out of their homes. There are more than 5,500 providers in Washington caring for up to 51,140 kids who fall into this category. The draft rules cover everything from wading pools to nutrition, and from discipline to educational requirements. They would update the existing rules in WAC 170-296.

In the end, these draft rules are about keeping kids safe, healthy and learning when they are away from home. We have the members of the Negotiated Rule Making Team (see photo at left from Spring 2009) to thank for doing the hard work of researching, writing and keeping kids in mind. Now it’s your turn to give DEL some feedback! Your comments will help write the next draft.

The meetings are:

• Friday, April 9 in Tumwater
• Saturday, April 10 in Vancouver
• Friday, April 16 in Everett
• Saturday, April 17 in Seattle
• Saturday, April 17 in Kent
• Friday, April 23 in Spokane
• Saturday, April 24 in Pasco
• Saturday, April 24 in Wenatchee

Visit the DEL Web site to read the draft rules and for times, locations and directions to the public forums. Posted times are subject to change.

Want to comment right away?

• Go online to the DEL Rules Comment page 
•  Fax to 360.725.4939
•  Write to the DEL Rules Coordinator:  PO Box 40970 Olympia, WA 98504-0970