Child Care

Child care is a basic that helps families get ahead by giving parents the support and peace of mind they need to be productive at work and children the boost they need to succeed in school. To help increase families' access to affordable, high-quality care, we have worked with a coalition of national and state organizations to develop a blueprint for the future of child care. We also have resources on specific child care topics, including: child care assistance, child care tax strategies, child care unionization, family, friend and neighbor care, and the U.S. military child care system.

Frequently requested child care reports: see State Child Care Assistance Policies 2010: New Federal Funds Help States Weather the Storm and State Child Care Assistance Policies 2010: Individual State Fact Sheets.

Highlights

Fact Sheet | Child Care Assistance Policies in States Receiving Early Learning Challenge Grants

December 20, 2011

This fact sheet summarizes the child care assistance policies for the nine states that were awarded Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge grants by the Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services.

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Fact Sheet | State by State Fact Sheets: Child Care Assistance Policies 2011

December 16, 2011

The National Women's Law Center's 8th annual review of key child care subsidy policies in all fifty states and the District of Columbia reveals that families were worse off in 37 states than they were in 2010 under one or more child care assistance policies. These 51 fact sheets explain the state of child care assistance in individual states and the District of Columbia.

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press release | Low-Income Families Losing Ground Under Child Care Assistance Policies In 37 States, New NWLC Report Shows

October 11, 2011

(Washington, D.C.) Families in thirty-seven states are worse off under one or more key child care policies in 2011 than they were in 2010, according to a report released today by the National Women's Law Center. Read more...

Reports & Toolkits | State Child Care Assistance Policies 2011: Reduced Support for Families in Challenging Times

October 11, 2011

The National Women's Law Center's 8th annual review of key child care subsidy policies in all fifty states and the District of Columbia reveals that families were worse off in 37 states than they were in 2010 under one or more child care assistance policies.  Families are not only worse off in 2011 than they were in 2010, but are also worse off than a decade ago.

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More Resources

Reports & Toolkits | State Child Care Assistance Policies Report Series

September 30, 2010

This nationwide annual analysis by the National Women's Law Center compares child care assistance policies from year to year and to and 2001 in four policy areas: income eligibility, waiting lists for assistance, copayment requirements and reimbursement rates for providers. Some states have made progress, but most states continue to be behind where they were in 2001. Read more...

Fact Sheet | Tax Credits Q&A

January 18, 2012

Get detailed information about each of the federal tax credits including the Earned Income Tax Credit,  the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and the Making Work Pay Credit.

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Fact Sheet | Child Care Assistance Policies in States Receiving Early Learning Challenge Grants

December 20, 2011

This fact sheet summarizes the child care assistance policies for the nine states that were awarded Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge grants by the Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services.

 Read more...

Fact Sheet | State by State Fact Sheets: Child Care Assistance Policies 2011

December 16, 2011

The National Women's Law Center's 8th annual review of key child care subsidy policies in all fifty states and the District of Columbia reveals that families were worse off in 37 states than they were in 2010 under one or more child care assistance policies. These 51 fact sheets explain the state of child care assistance in individual states and the District of Columbia.

 Read more...

Webinars & Presentations | Audio Recording of Early Childhood Updates: Funding and Reauthorization Prospects

December 15, 2011

Helen Blank from the National Women's Law Center (NWLC), Adele Robinson from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, Hannah Matthews from CLASP, and Harriet Dichter from the First Five Years Fund provided an overview of the FY 2012 and FY 2013 budgets, reauthorization of ESEA and CCDBG, and Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge grants.

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