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.
- According to population data, between 1.2 and 1.5 million workers are affected by inadequate child care options each month. This results in anywhere from 9 to 26 million hours of potential work lost due to child care challenges in any given week (or 468 million to 1.4 billion hours a year.) [KPMB study 2024]
- According to polls, 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.
- In 2024, the average annual cost of child care was $13,128, a 29% increase since 2020. [Child Care Aware of America, reported in the 19th]
- Child care helps parents return to or stay at work, which can generate an additional $94,000 in lifetime earnings for mothers.
- Data from the Small Business Majority indicates that child care related challenges impact career trajectories with 30% of employees quitting a job or turning down an offer and 27% of employees turning down promotions.
Learn more:
Posts
Report Highlights Barriers to Child Care for Families of Young Children with Disabilities
Last week, the Center for American Progress (CAP) released a new report that highlights the challenges faced by parents of young children with disabilities to access affordable, high-quality child care …
Lawmakers Convene Two Congressional Hearings on Child Care and Early Learning This Week
In case you missed it, there were two Congressional hearings in the House of Representatives yesterday where Democrats and Republicans came together to discuss child care solutions for America’s families …
CNN Debate: 2020 Candidates Agree on Child Care
Last night during the final Democratic presidential debate before the Iowa Caucuses next month, child care became one of the rare unifying issues among the 2020 contenders. Debate moderator Brianne …
U.S. Chamber Report Highlights Potential for Businesses to Engage in Early Learning Discussions
In addition to the proven benefits of early learning for children, access to affordable, reliable, and high-quality early learning and care provides working families with better job stability and overall …
FFYF Submits Comments on Improving Access to High-Quality, Affordable Child Care
In October, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families (ACF) issued a request for information calling for an honest assessment of child care in …
October is Head Start Awareness Month!
This October, FFYF is honoring Head Start Awareness Month — an important opportunity to reflect on and appreciate this critical federal early learning program. Since its founding in 1965, Head …
Urban Institute Examines Possible Impact Resulting from Proposed Expansion of Child Care Supports
Today, the Pritzker Children’s Initiative hosted a webinar highlighting a new report from the Urban Institute which modeled the impact associated with a drastic increase in funding for child care …
See How All 50 States Use CCDBG Funding to Support Working Families Access Quality Child Care
Yesterday, our friends at Child Care Aware of America released a series of state fact sheets on the status of funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) …
GAO Report Examines Patchwork of Early Learning and Care Programs From State to State
Head Start and the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) provide critical funding for high-quality early learning and care programs, and yet they are able to serve only a small fraction …
VIDEO: CCDBG Is Creating New Opportunities for Working Families
Child care is a necessity for working parents, yet the cost of quality care often places it out of reach. The Child Care and Development Block Grant program (CCDBG) provides …
Research: High-Quality ECE Strengthens Families and Can Break the Cycle of Poverty
A new analysis from Nobel laureate economist James Heckman finds that targeted, high-quality early childhood investments have the power to lift multiple generations out of poverty. This research demonstrates the …
Strengthening Child Care Tax Incentives to Support Working Families
Child care is not a luxury for American families—it’s a necessity. Yet the costs associated with quality child care are rapidly out-pacing most other expenses faced by families, including the …
