Navigating childcare as a student parent in Seattle

Seattle is one of the most expensive cities in the United States. According to the Seattle Times, the average household income in the city was $120,600 in 2023. However, a six-figure annual income is not the case for many college students in Seattle. Among the student population, affordability is especially an issue for those who are parents, balancing studies, jobs, and childcare. Although the Seattle Colleges offer childcare assistance for eligible students, navigating the program can be a struggle for some.  

The Seattle Collegian interviewed a 21-year-old student mother, who preferred to remain anonymous, on her journey with Seattle Central College’s Childcare Assistance Program. Her child was born during the student’s two-year associate degree program at the college. She shared that throughout her pregnancy and in early motherhood, she did not receive any assistance from the program, despite multiple attempts to contact the department. Her family members then traveled from overseas to Seattle to help her take care of her child so she could manage work, study, and parenting at the same time. The student shared that she had never struggled with school before pregnancy. However, the responsibilities that came with it forced her grades to plunge “lower and lower.” She once expressed the struggle of her situation to an instructor, who showed support and encouraged her to visit the college’s Counseling Center—which helped her “a great deal.”

Reno Zeta, supervisor for the Child Care Assistance application at Seattle Central, explains that the program provides funds to eligible students with children to meet the cost of licensed childcare. According to Zeta, assistance is provided quarterly, and students must apply once a year, as well as complete a quarterly supplemental application with an updated bill or receipt from their childcare provider. Zeta adds that assistance “is not guaranteed every quarter, regardless of previous assistance from the program.” 

In contrast, Ubah Farah, another Seattle Central student, shares that her experience with the program was successful. Farah states that the program has provided great help to her and that she has been utilizing its services for over a month. According to Farah, the program pays her childcare provider on her behalf. When asked how the process works, she says that after being accepted into the program, “The school uses the bank mobile disbursement so it will be sent to the student, and it’s the student’s responsibility to pay the child care provider.” Farah also makes it clear that one needs to have a “licensed provider” for the school to be able to pay for services. 

Although Farah recommends the Childcare Assistance Program, she still states that student mothers need more assistance, especially financially, given the high cost of living in Seattle. She emphasizes that with the costs of raising a child while being a full-time student,   parents are left with little to no income to take care of themselves, suggesting that childcare programs like the one at Seattle Central may require more funding to maintain effective benefits to students. 

Janet Thomas, program intake manager for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) in the Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning, states that some of the main challenges that student mothers face when accessing childcare assistance through the state include “affordability, availability of childcare providers, accessibility of providers that offer nonstandard hours of care, and transportation to childcare sites.” Additionally, Thomas explains that “Childcare plays an important role in allowing families to work and attend school while ensuring that children are in safe and supportive environments.” According to Thomas, providing child care is demanding work that is often underpaid. “Any increased investment in childcare benefits everyone,” she continues, “particularly student mothers, childcare workers, and families.” 

In 2024, 67 student mothers received CCAP benefits, including both partnered and unpartnered women. However, Thomas adds that other student mothers were found ineligible to benefit from CCAP. She states, “Of the 97 families found ineligible in 2024, 40% were under income/qualified for another program, 39% are above income for CCAP, 11% were outside of Seattle, 5% didn’t have qualifying activities, and the remainder had another eligibility obstacle.” 

Not only do student parents require more state-issued financial assistance, but they also need a supportive group of other parents to relate to, share experiences with, and get advice from. The importance of a support group increases to those who, like the first student parent The Seattle Collegian interviewed, have obstacles accessing childcare programs. The student shared that when attending another college in Seattle, she “felt so great to find someone who [experienced]  the same” situation as she did. Additionally, Farah mentioned the idea of starting a student club to support her fellow on-campus parents in their journey. 

The Seattle Collegian disclosed its research to Jean Cuevas, incoming executive of the Legislature, who was appalled to hear that student mothers in the Seattle Colleges needed more support. Cuevas reassured that he would “make sure to speak with our local legislators” regarding the limitations student parents face. “Student mothers should receive the necessary aid they require to comfortably continue their education,” completed Cuevas.