Working Families
Access to affordable, reliable, and high-quality early learning and child care opportunities provides working families with better job stability and overall economic security.
Here are five things to know about child care and working families.
- Child care prices are untenable across all program types, age groups, and geographic locations. In 2021, the cost of infant care ranged from 24.6% to 75.1% of income for single-parent households.
- Child care helps parents return to or stay at work, which can generate an additional $94,000 in lifetime earnings for mothers.
- Almost half of parents are absent from work at least once every six months due to child care issues.
- 74% of mothers and 66% of fathers have left work early, arrived late, or been absent because child care fell through at the last minute.
- In a recent poll, 59% of part-time or non-working parents say they would go back to work full-time if their child had access to quality child care at a reasonable cost.
Learn more:
Posts
The First Five Questions for: Andrew Zimmern
In the latest installment of FFYF’s First Five Questions series, Sarah Rittling sat down with award-winning chef, restaurateur, and advocate Andrew Zimmern for a conversation about the intersection of child …
New Resource Reveals Notable Changes in Price and Supply of Child Care
This week, Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA) released their annual report, Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, which provides updated data on the current child care landscape …
NIEER Releases Their Annual Report on the State of Preschool
This week, the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) released their 2024 State of Preschool Yearbook, offering a comprehensive analysis of state-funded preschool programs during the 2023-2024 school year. …
In Case You Missed It: Sarah Rittling Talks Child Care On Fox 5
This week, FFYF’s Sarah Rittling joined anchor Steve Chenevey on FOX 5 DC to talk all things child care. Their conversation touched on a wide range of topics, including how …
Survey Data Supports the Need for Better Access to Child Care for Parents of Infants and Toddlers
Families with infants and toddlers are struggling to find consistent access to child care, according to a March 2025 fact sheet from RAPID. RAPID, based in the Stanford Center on …
2025 FFYF Federal Guide to Early Learning and Care Programs
The 119th Congress has the opportunity to invest in America’s children, working families, and the economy through high-quality child care and early childhood education. This resource book is an introduction …
Fox News Hosts: One Issue That Transcends Party Is Child Care
This week, Fox News’ Fox & Friends co-hosts singled out child care challenges as the “one issue” where Democrats and Republicans can come together to provide real economic support for …
The First Five Things to Know About: The Britt-Kaine Bipartisan Child Care Plan
First Introduced: July 2024 Reintroduced: March 2025. Parents want to make child care choices that best support their family’s individual needs and their child’s development. This is especially true for …
The First Five Things to Know About: the House Bipartisan Pre-K and Child Care Caucus
Addressing the child care needs of families across America is a critical element to strengthening our communities and our economy. For years, the House Bipartisan Pre-K and Child Care Caucus …
The First Five Things To Know About: The Federal Tax Code and Child Care
Child care is not a luxury for American families – it’s a necessity. Yet the high costs associated with quality child care are rapidly outpacing most other expenses, including the …
Child Care Choices: An Overview of Early Learning and Care Settings
Finding child care that is affordable, safe, and developmentally appropriate is critical for children and families alike. Families also need choices to meet their specific needs. Children experience both short- and …
State by State: Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit
It’s a struggle for millions of hard-working American families to afford quality child care. Federal programs and policies help support working families with child care expenses, but they are limited …
