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 2011: Reduced Support for Families in Challenging Times and State by State Fact Sheets: Child Care Assistance Policies 2011.

Highlights

Fact Sheet | Expand Access to High-Quality Early Care and Education for Infants and Toddlers

March 8, 2013

High-quality early care and education is essential for children in their earliest years of life when they are first learning and exploring, yet high-quality programs are in short supply.

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Fact Sheet | Child Care: A Core Support to Children and Families

February 12, 2013

This fact sheet offers an overview of the importance of child care assistance for children and families.

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Fact Sheet | Governors’ 2013 State of the State Addresses: Mentions of Early Care and Education

March 14, 2013

A total of 27 governors (as well as the mayor of the District of Columbia) referenced early care and education in their 2013 state of the state addresses—an increase from 22 governors in 2012 and 17 governors in 2011. These governors recognize that early care and education helps prepare young children for future educational success, provides crucial support for parents, and strengthens our nation’s economy.  

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Reports & Toolkits | Downward Slide: State Child Care Assistance Policies 2012

October 11, 2012

The National Women's Law Center's 9th annual review of key child care subsidy policies in all fifty states and the District of Columbia reveals that families were worse off in 27 states than they were in 2011 under one or more child care assistance policies.  Families are not only worse off in 2012 than they were in 2011, but are also worse off than a decade ago.  

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More Resources

Fact Sheet | State Fact Sheet on Poor and Low-Income Children

February 03, 2011

This state by state fact sheet, developed by CLASP, includes information on the number of poor and low-income children in each state using data from the Census Bureau. The information can be helpful in tailoring your talking points, press release, and op-ed for your state.

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Coalition Action Materials | Talking Points on Early Childhood Funding

February 02, 2011

Ask your networks to commit to making three calls to members of Congress between now and April 8 (when the last continuing resolution they passed expires) to talk about the importance of investments in early childhood. In partnership with the First Five Years Fund, we have developed talking points to assist you in your efforts.

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Fact Sheet | Federal Credits Fact Sheets

February 01, 2011

Read one-page summaries of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and the Making Work Pay Credit.

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Webinars & Presentations | Conference Call Recording: What’s Next for Early Childhood in the 112th Congress (1/13/2011)

January 19, 2011

In 2010, we made our presence known. Congress’ phone lines were jammed, switchboards were overloaded, and inboxes were full. We plan to do that, and more, in 2011. This conference call was recorded on January 13, 2011.

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Fact Sheet | The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010

December 16, 2010

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 includes provisions for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), National School Lunch Program, Summer Food Service Program, and WIC. The provisions for CACFP are focused on the promotion of nutrition and wellness, reducing paperwork, and increasing access to after-school meals for school-age children.

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