In America, only 1 in 7 eligible children actually receive subsidies to cover child care costs, and half of all Americans live in neighborhoods classified as child care deserts—areas with little to no access to quality care. Without congressionally funded access to affordable, high-quality child care, families, children, and early educators face the consequences of high costs of care and low wages. This is why the Early Childhood Policy team develops and promotes bold policy solutions to the child care crisis that will expand access and affordability, bringing an inclusive and racially equitable vision to life for all children and families.
Child care often is treated like a private family issue, but lack of access has cascading negative impacts on child care providers, small-business owners, and broader communities.
With additional funding, an existing federal subsidy program could forestall closures and supply losses in the child care sector until policymakers secure meaningful investments.
Rasheed Malik testified before the House Budget Committee on July 20, 2022, on the importance of investing in early childhood programs.
This CAP Action storybook features women in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and New Hampshire whose stories center on issues from prescription drug pricing and health insurance, to child care and paid leave.
New, comprehensive data on child care workers in center-based programs—analyzing their demographics, education, experience, and wages—reveal widening pay gaps and inequality.
Targeted, long-term investments would help the many families in rural America who desperately need child care.
Major child care investments pay for themselves through a range of benefits, including improved child and family health, bolstered educational outcomes, and economic recovery.
Jesse O'Connell, the new senior vice president for Education at the Center for American Progress, talks about the opportunities this moment offers to improve early childhood, K-12, and higher education in the United States.
Long-term investments in a new birth-to-five early learning system will be critical to a strong economic recovery.
Increased federal investments offer an opportunity to expand equitable access to quality child care for all children and families.
Despite claims to the contrary, the Build Back Better Act envisions an important role for faith-based child care providers.
The United States needs a comprehensive solution to make child care affordable for families.