We Visited Daycares Receiving Millions In Taxpayer Dollars

The Center Square conducted an on-the-ground investigation into Washington state's taxpayer-funded child care subsidy program after reviewing public payment records that showed millions of dollars flowing to home daycare providers across the state. During the investigation, reporters visited multiple licensed home daycare addresses receiving significant taxpayer funding. At several locations, little or no evidence of daycare activity was observed during multiple visits. At one address that received more than $200,000 in public payments over several months, occupants stated there was no daycare operating at the location. At another address associated with more than $1.3 million in taxpayer-funded child care payments, no children were present during the visit. The investigation also examines findings from the Washington State Auditor's Office, which reported that more than $413 million in child care payments could not be fully tracked and identified approximately $37 million in questionable payments during 2025 because required attendance documentation was missing or incomplete. The auditor emphasized that these findings do not establish fraud but instead point to significant oversight and documentation concerns. The Center Square questioned officials from the Washington State Auditor's Office, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), Governor Bob Ferguson's office, and Attorney General Nick Brown regarding oversight responsibilities, accountability, and whether additional investigations should occur. Officials discussed the limits of their respective roles while acknowledging ongoing audits and reviews. This report examines how Washington's child care subsidy system operates, what public records reveal, and why questions remain about oversight, taxpayer accountability, and the verification of public expenditures. In this episode: • Investigation into Washington daycare payments • Visits to taxpayer-funded daycare locations • Questions about public oversight • State Auditor responds • Governor Bob Ferguson questioned • Attorney General Nick Brown responds • DCYF accountability • Taxpayer spending review Subscribe for continued investigative reporting covering Washington government, taxpayer accountability, public spending, education, and state politics. #WashingtonState #Daycare #ChildCare #Taxpayer #GovernmentAccountability #DCYF #BobFerguson #WashingtonPolitics #TheCenterSquare #WashingtonInFocus