Child Care & Early Learning

Send a thank-you note to President Obama

President Obama announced his ambitious agenda for early care and education.

Learn more and take action...

How will the March 1st across-the-board cuts impact children?

Our interactive map shows the impact of sequestration on CCDBG and Head Start in each state.

Check it out...

Child Care Assistance Policies Are On a Downward Slide

Child Care Assistance is on a Downward Slide

NWLC's new report shows that families in 27 states are worse off than they were in 2011 under one or more child care assistance policies.

My Child Care Love Story

We don't hear enough about the good experiences parents have with child care.

Raise your voice and share your story on our new Tumblr.

Child Care & Early Learning Experts Discuss Reforms

On 9/27, NWLC's Helen Blank spoke on a NAF panel of experts in child care and early learning.

Watch now.

New Early Learning Initiative

Impact of Sequestration

Child Care Assistance

My Child Care Love Story

Reforming Child Care

Highlights

Fact Sheet | High-Quality Prekindergarten Is a Wise Investment

March 8, 2013

Early education helps prepare children to succeed in school and in life. This fact sheet summarizes the beneifts of Prekindergarten.

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.

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.

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.

More Resources

Coalition Action Materials | Coalition Letter in Support of The Children First Act of 2011

June 24, 2011

On June 24, 2011, the Child Care and Early Learning Coalition sent a letter in support of The Children First Act of 2011, introduced by Senator John Kerry (D-MA). The Children First Act of 2011 increases the mandatory funding portion of the Child Care and Development Block Grant and makes several important improvements related to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)-funded child care and parents who need child care who receive TANF benefits.

To view the letter from the Child Care and Early Learning Coalition, download the link below.

Coalition Action Materials | Coalition Letter and Comments on Early Learning Challenge Initiative

June 03, 2011

On June 3, 2011, members of the Child Care and Early Learning Coalition submitted a letter and comments to Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and the Administration in regards to the new Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge initiative. The Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge’s goal is to incentivize states to create systems for improving the quality of early learning settings for children ages birth to five and increase disadvantaged children’s access to higher-quality early learning programs.

Fact Sheet | One-Sided Budget Proposals Threaten Women and Families, Shield Millionaires and Corporations

May 20, 2011

Explanation of how proposals for a global spending cap – which could be part of legislation or a proposed constitutional amendment – could force drastic cuts to programs that millions of women and families depend on, dismantling Medicare, Medicaid, and other critical programs, while doing nothing to restrain tax cuts for the rich and corporations.

Webinars & Presentations | Presentation on Child Care Assistance and School Readiness

May 20, 2011

At the 2011 National Smart Start Conference, Helen Blank and Karen Schulman presented on states’ current child care assistance policies based on NWLC’s most recent report and discussed how both these policies as well as decisions about the administration of the subsidy system are connected to ensuring that children enter school ready to succeed.

Coalition Action Materials | Coalition Letter In Support of Early Childhood Funding for FY 2012 Appropriations

May 18, 2011

On May 18, 2011, the Child Care and Early Learning Coalition sent a sign-on letter to the chairs and ranking minority members of the Appropriations Committees and the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services in support of early childhood programs for the FY 2012 appropriations process.

A copy of the coalition sign-on letter can be downloaded below.