The State of Child Care in America

There are zero states in the United States able to provide child care assistance to the majority of families who need it.

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The need for childcare funding

In 2018, Congress approved an historic increase of nearly $5 billion over 2 years for the CCDBG, allowing states to help meet the needs of low-income families across the nation. Still, when adjusted for inflation, child care funding remains below 2001 levels.

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News

I hardly sleep': Why child care strains Latino families more than most during COVID

The coronavirus crisis has especially disrupted the lives of Latino workers with low incomes and young children in California.

Mar 22, 2021READ More


Pandemic pressures push day cares to edge of closing

Texas child care programs struggle to stay afloat with dramatic drops in enrollment coupled with increased operating costs to meet COVID health and safety requirements.

Mar 18, 2021READ More


Nebraska child care industry severely impacted by pandemic

Child care providers in Nebraska have seen major financial hits to their businesses since the beginning of the pandemic last March.

Mar 17, 2021READ More


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Resources

Picking Up the Pieces: Building a Better Child Care System Post COVID-19

Child Care Aware® of America released their report on the price of child care - including national and state-by-state information.

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Early Progress: State Child Care Assistance Policies 2019

This annual report by the National Women's Law Center highlights state policies related to child care assistance. The five key areas examined are income eligibility, waiting lists, copayments, payment rates for providers, and eligibility during job searches.

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States’ Use of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Funding Increase

A new brief finds that most states used, or plan to use, increased federal funding for a key early childhood education program—the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG)—to raise pay for child care providers, serve more eligible children, and meet reauthorization requirements established in the 2014 reauthorization of the program. Interactive maps of data featured in the report provide a detailed look at how 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam have used or plan to use this increased federal funding aimed at expanding access to high-quality child care for low-income families.

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