Support for Early Learning & Families (SELF)

Fast Facts from the 2017 State of Our Children and Families Report

Children

• Minimum Wage – the impact on families and programs
• Statewide, 1 in 5 children aged 0-4 is living in poverty (or 19%). This figure is higher for most counties in our region.
• Statewide, 3 out of 5 children aged 0-6 have all parents in the workforce. This figure is similar for most counties in our region.

Families

• Minimum Wage – the impact on families and programs
• There are approximately 300 homeless people living in families with children in Clark County, and almost 200 in Cowlitz County.

Professionals

• Statewide, childcare employees are paid less than half of the average hourly wage in all industries, at $14.28 vs. $32.88 per hour.
• Statewide, over two-thirds (70%) of licensed childcare providers are enrolled in Early Achievers; this figure is similar for most counties in our region.

Schools

• Minimum Wage – the impact on families and programs
• Children in SW Washington are entering kindergarten less ready than the statewide average; in SW Washington, 42% of incoming kindergartners are ready for school, compared with 47% statewide. This figure is even lower among low income children, at 28%.

Sponsors