Legislation
Posts
Tax Policy and Child Care
Overview Strong funding is essential to strengthening child care in the United States, but updating provisions of the federal tax code is also an important part of the solution. Unfortunately, …
Child and Adult Care Food Program
Overview The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal program that, in part, provides reimbursements to child care programs for nutritious meals and snacks provided to young …
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Overview The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensures states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to more than 7 million eligible children and youth …
Every Student Succeeds Act
Overview The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the nation’s K-12 education law prioritizing equal access to education, was reauthorized by Congress at the end of 2015 as the Every Student …
Dependent Care Assistance Program
Overview The dependent care assistance program (DCAP) is an employee benefit plan – or a flexible spending plan – that helps employees pay for the care of a qualifying dependent. …
Child Tax Credit
Overview The Child Tax Credit (CTC) helps qualifying parents with children under the age of 17 offset the cost of everyday household expenses. CTC is designed to ensure that the …
Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships
Overview Early Head Start–Child Care Partnerships (EHS-CCP) helps expand access to high-quality child care and comprehensive support for infants and toddlers from low-income families. The U.S. Department of Health and …
Appropriations
Overview Child care is expensive, and there’s a massive difference between what providers need to charge to keep doors open and what parents can afford. Each year, Congress allocates federal …
Legislative Updates
Overview Child care and early learning has enjoyed strong bipartisan support amongst lawmakers for decades. First Five Years Fund works closely with lawmakers from across the aisle to provide regular …
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
Overview The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program is the second largest source of public funding for child care in the United States. TANF provides grants to states to …
Apprenticeships
Overview The child care shortage in the United States is due in large part to the child care and early learning professional workforce shortage. Too many professionals have left the …
Maternal, Infant, & Early Childhood Home Visiting Program
Overview The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program provides funding to pair families with limited support and resources with trained home visitors such as nurses, social workers, …
