Delaware
Working families in Delaware need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children.
Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in Delaware. But too many working families in Delaware are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the Delaware economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
There are 65K children ages 5 and under in Delaware – 67% of these children have all available parents in the workforce.
The typical annual cost of child care for an infant in Delaware is around $15,000.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant only reaches 13% of eligible families in Delware. (This federal program helps low-income parents afford child care.)
On average, child care providers in Delaware earn just $28,240 a year; this can make it a challenge to recruit and retain this workforce, leading to supply issues.
Delaware’s economy loses $415M annually due to child care challenges
Delaware: In The Headlines
Gov. Meyer meets with child care leaders
WMDT | mARCH 13, 2025
Child care was the topic of discussion for Delaware Governor Matt Meyer Thursday as he toured several facilities throughout the state.
Married or single, Delaware child care is costly, study finds
Delaware Online | jULY 17, 2025
Raising kids has never been cheap, but for Delaware families, the cost of child care can take a bigger bite out of their paychecks than in many nearby states, according to a new WalletHub study.
New survey finds many Delawareans struggling with child care costs
WMDT | jANUARY 31, 2025
Early child care is one of the many key issues facing Delaware’s lawmakers. Parents and providers have made it clear to state officials that they want greater investments in child care.
Delaware Resources & News
Subscribe to FFYF First Look
Every morning, FFYF reports on the latest child care & early learning news from across the country. Subscribe and take 5 minutes to know what's happening in early childhood education.