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Economy & Business

Child care is an integral pillar to supporting a thriving economy, with 27 million Americans relying on it to work. The national shortage of affordable child care programs is doing significant harm to family finances, businesses’ bottom lines, and the U.S. economy broadly.

Here are five things to know about child care and our economy.

  1. The United States economy loses an estimated $122 billion a year due to child care challenges.
  2. On average, businesses lose $1,640 a year for each working parent due to lost revenue and hiring costs because of insufficient child care, totaling $23 billion annually.
  3.  77% of small business leaders say access to high-quality, affordable child care is essential or important to strengthening the economy and helping workers.
  4. Investments in high-quality child care and early learning programs can generate up to $7.30 per every dollar invested.
  5. The availability of early childhood education programs attracts homebuyers and increases property values by $13 for every dollar invested in programs.

Learn more:

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Arkansas: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2019

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

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Arizona: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2019

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

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Alaska: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2019

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

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Alabama: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2019

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

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Wyoming: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2019

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

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Washington, D.C.: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2019

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

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Pennsylvania: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2019

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

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FFYF Celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week

May 6, 2019

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! At FFYF, we are taking the time to stop and thank all of our nation’s incredible teachers and child care providers—particularly those working with children from …

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FFYF Letter to White House Workforce Policy Advisory Board

March 5, 2019

In February of 2019, the White House announced the creation of a Workforce Policy Advisory Board, tasked with advising Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Adviser to the President Ivanka Trump on …

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State of Babies 2019 Yearbook Examines Policies Supporting Infants & Toddlers Nationwide

February 28, 2019

Earlier this week, ZERO TO THREE and Child Trends released a new policy resource that examines policies supporting infants and toddlers nationwide. The resource entitled, The State of Babies Yearbook: …

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FFYF Calls for Greater Resources for ECE Workforce in Higher Education Act

February 27, 2019

The Higher Education Act (HEA) includes teacher quality programs (Title II) and federal student aid programs (Title IV) that can play an important role in supporting state and local efforts to …

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Report Finds Child Care Provides Nearly $100 Billion in Economic Impact

February 12, 2019

A new report from the Committee for Economic Development (CED), in partnership with the Alliance for Early Success, finds the child care industry has an economic impact of nearly $100 …

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