2026
Posts
Enrollment and Attendance Payment Models: Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG)
Overview: States have the flexibility to pay child care providers participating in subsidy programs based on either enrollment or attendance. With enrollment-based payment, providers receive a set amount for holding …
FFYF Hosts Bipartisan Child Care and Early Learning Briefing on Capitol Hill
FFYF was joined by providers, experts, and a bipartisan pair of Members of Congress in a briefing to highlight child care and early learning programs.
Head Start Program Core Elements
This document includes the five elements that are essential to the program’s integrity, as supported by national, regional, and state organizations around the country.
FY27 Early Learning and Child Care ‘Dear Colleague’ Letters
“Dear Colleague” letters are a key way for lawmakers to convey and generate support for child care and early learning programs.
FFYF Briefing Room: Safeguarding Access to Affordable Child Care
March 2, 2026 – The federal child care program has a long history of bipartisan support, with a proven track record in strengthening families, fostering child development, and fueling the …
New Report Outlines Current Challenges for Family Child Care Providers
The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) recently released their 2025-2026 Annual Survey Report, which provides a national snapshot of the current conditions of family child care (FCC) providers. …
2026: ABCs of Federal Early Learning & Child Care Funding Streams
An overview of the top federal child care and early learning programs and how they are funded.
Child Care Takes Center Stage in 2026 State of the State Addresses as Governors Focus on Affordability and Economic Stability
The First Five Years Fund annual review of governors who delivered State of the State addresses before February 17, 2026, revealed a striking consensus: 72% used their remarks to address …
119th Congress: Bipartisan Child Care Legislation in the House and Senate
Reliable, affordable child care is essential for hardworking families, especially as two-thirds of all children under the age of five need care because all available parents are working. Yet, high …
‘After Hours Child Care Act’ aims to help more working parents
Reps. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), along with Senators Todd Young (R-IN) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), have introduced the After Hours Child Care Act, which would improve access …
FFYF Recap: Senate HELP Committee Hearing
Restoring Integrity: Preventing Fraud in Child Care Assistance Programs OVERVIEW February 12, 2026 – The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee convened a hearing focused on child care …
New Report Finds the Economic Impact of Child Care Challenges Totals $172 Billion Annually
Reliable access to child care is essential to a strong economy. For families around the country, money feels tight and the cost of daily life has become harder to manage. …
