2026 August Recess Member Toolkit
1. New Polling Preview
We have a brand new national poll coming out soon and wanted to share a few key findings ahead of our public release:
- 72% of voters say the cost of child care is a crisis or a major problem, including 92% of Democrats, 84% of Independents, and 55% of Republicans.
- 57% of parents with young children say the cost of child care is a major contributor to the country’s affordability crisis.
2. Get Child Care Data for Your State!
Need state-specific child care data points before your next meeting or event? FFYF’s brand new 2026 State Child Care Fact Sheets provide information for all 50 states and Washington, DC. These highlight how federal and state early learning and child care programs support children and families in your community, while also showing where significant gaps remain.
Find your state’s fact sheet here.
3. Visit a Child Care Provider
There’s no substitute for seeing the child care system in action! Visiting a child care center, family child care home, or Head Start program gives you the opportunity to hear directly from providers and families about what’s working, where challenges remain, and how the federal programs supported in Congress can make a difference. These visits also provide a great opportunity to highlight the importance of child care in your district and spend time with adorable little ones!
In addition to visiting a child care provider, you could also host a parent roundtable, or meet with local employers or your Chamber of Commerce, to discuss how child care challenges are impacting your local community and how federal programs or tax credits can help.
Sample social post:
Child care is essential for children, families, employers, and our local economy. Today I had the opportunity to meet with families and providers in our community to hear firsthand about the challenges they’re facing and the solutions that can help make child care more affordable and accessible.
4. Learn More About Opportunities to Take Action!
- FY27 Appropriations: Support robust funding for federal child care programs like the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Head Start and Early Head Start, and the Preschool Development Block Grant Birth through Five
- Cosponsor the Child Care Modernization Act, a bill to help increase the supply of child care for working families by strengthening the Child Care and Development Block Grant.
- Support one of the more than 60 bipartisan child care bills introduced in the 119th Congress! Learn more about them here.
5. Messages that Resonate
- Child care is expensive and too difficult for many families to find. In [STATE], families pay around $XXX a year for care. (Use your state fact sheet to find!)
- Child care supports children’s healthy development, helps parents stay in the workforce, and allows local businesses to recruit and retain employees. When child care works, our communities are stronger.
- Our child care providers do incredible work every day, but they need the resources and support to continue serving families and expand access.
- Congress has an important role to play. Investing in proven programs like the Child Care and Development Block Grant and Head Start help providers keep their doors open and make child care more affordable for families. Thanks to CCDBG, families participating in the program save X per month on child care.
