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Mapping Our Child Care Deserts

Katie Hamm illustrates why simply finding an affordable, quality child care program can be a struggle for many working families.

Ask any parent of young children, and they’ll tell you that one of their biggest challenges is finding affordable, quality child care. The cost of child care alone is a barrier for many low-income and middle class families—for instance, a typical family may expect to pay $10,000 or more a year on a child care center. But research conducted by myself and colleagues at the Center for American Progress (CAP) shows that cost isn’t the only barrier families face in accessing child care: simply finding a child care program can be a struggle for many working families.

The above excerpt was originally published in Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity. Click here to view the full article.

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Authors

Katie Hamm

Vice President, Early Childhood Policy