A Boost for Children and Families

by Helen Blank, Director, Leadership and Public Policy, 
National Women's Law Center 

On July 15, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education recognized the importance of high-quality early care and education for children when it approved an increase of $700 million in funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and an $866 million increase for Head Start for FY 2011. This funding maintains a large portion of the child care and Head Start increases included in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

This is good news for children and families who rely on child care and Head Start in their daily lives. If enacted, these funds will help to ensure that thousands of low-income families continue to get help affording the child care they need to ensure that their children are safe and well cared for while their parents work. New Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms will remain open. Investments to improve the quality of child care will also continue.

Congressman David Obey, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, has included child care and Head Start among the key investments to which he has pledged to give top priority for funding as the process moves forward. While these appropriations still need to be voted on by the full committee and the House, and the Senate must pass its own appropriations measure, the House has taken an important first step.