Recess in Action: Connecting to Families on Child Care

Child care challenges remain a pressing concern for families and employers in every community across the country. Whether enhancing funding for programs or modernizing child care tax credits, Congress plays a critical role in ensuring families can access and afford the quality care they need. August presents a valuable opportunity to engage with constituents on this important issue and showcase your efforts to protect and prioritize federal child care policies.

• Visit a local child care center or Head Start program. 
• Find a local Head Start using the FFYF map 
• Reach out to local advocates – Abby Holland (aholland@ffyf.org) can help connect you with someone in your state!  

• Host a Child Care Town Hall to hear directly from parents about their child care needs and concerns. 
• Host an Employer Roundtable with your local Chamber of Commerce or local employers to talk about the impact child care challenges have on their businesses. 
• Ask constituents about their experiences. For example, conduct an online poll, asking parents and employers to weigh in on their child care challenges and needs.

Share information about child care on your social media sites

Post With Photo:

Child care is such a critical part of what keeps our community strong.

I just visited a child care center in [STATE/TOWN], where we met incredible educators, saw kids thriving, and listened to the real challenges families are facing every day.

Sample Online Poll

When families with young children struggle to find or afford child care, it can have an impact on family finances, employment, and our local economy. Question: Do you believe not being able to find or afford child care is a “crisis” or “major problem” for working families in our district? Yes/No.

Write an op-ed underscoring your commitment to making quality child care more accessible and affordable for families in your district

Letter To The Editor/Start of an Op-Ed:

Title: Investing in Child Care Is Investing in Our Future

As a member of Congress representing [State/District], I hear from working parents every day who are struggling to find and afford child care. High-quality child care is not a luxury, it’s a necessity for parents and kids alike. It supports children’s learning and healthy development while allowing parents to go to work or attend school. But for too many families in [State], it’s simply out of reach.

The average cost of center-based child care in [State] is [$ amount] per year, a price tag that puts too many families in a tough position. And with [XX%] of our state classified as a child care desert, families are struggling to find a provider, let alone afford one. These barriers are pushing parents out of the workforce and hurting our local economy.

That’s why I’m prioritizing solutions that will help ensure a more sustainable, stable child care sector that works for parents and businesses alike. Chief among those are federal early learning programs, like the Child Care Development Block Grant and Head Start which help create and sustain affordable child care options so parents have a safe place of their choosing to send their kids while they work.

In [State], these programs directly support [#] families and form the backbone of our child care system. They help strengthen the workforce, keep providers’ doors open, and ensure more children have access to safe, nurturing early learning environments.

As a member of the [Name of Caucus or Committee], I’m working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure families can afford care, providers are supported, and every child has the opportunity to thrive. Congress has the tools, and the responsibility, to build a stronger child care system.

Highlight your work as a child care champion in your weekly newsletter to constituents. 

Newsletter Excerpt/LTE About Visiting Child Care Center

What I Saw at LOCAL CHILD CARE CENTER, and Why It Matters

This week, I had the opportunity to visit a child care center in [CITY/STATE], and what I saw during my visitreminded me why this work matters so deeply. While visting X, I met dedicated early educators who show up every day with patience, creativity, and heart. I saw children learning, laughing, and being cared for in a safe, nurturing environment that sets them up for success.

But I also saw the challenges. The director talked about the long waitlists, the difficulty in retaining staff, and the cost pressures families face. Parents want to work. Providers want to serve more children. But the system simply isn’t built to meet the demand.

That’s why federal funding is so important, and why I’m working to ensure our federal child care programs are protected and improved.

Our federal child care programs, like Head Start and Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), are designed to give families more affordable, reliable child care options while also supporting the early educators who make it all possible. They are crucial for working parents, small businesses, and our economy as a whole. I will keep you updated as the funding process continues.

• State fact sheets with information about how many young children need child care, the cost of child care, and how federal funds are distributed.
• Head Start maps showing how many children benefit from Head Start in your state and district. 
• An overview of how child care-related tax credits could help families in your district.
• Here are links to Dear Colleague letters signed by Republican and Democratic Members of the 119th Congress in support of federal child care programs

First Five Years Fund has resources with details about child care and early learning in your state, including:

And recent polling from FFYF shows how child care challenges (and solutions) are on everyone’s mind.

We look forward to connecting with you after the August recess! Your leadership in strengthening child care policies is important – here’s are ways to support this issue in the months ahead: 

• FY2026 Appropriations: Protect and prioritize the programs that help families find and afford child care, including Child Care and Development Block Grants, Head Start, and Preschool Development Grants.
• Bipartisan Legislation: Cosponsor bipartisan legislation to help more families access affordable, quality child care. Here’s a list from the 119th Congress –  reach out to the lead office to sign.