District of Columbia
Working families in District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia. But too many working families in District of Columbia are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the District of Columbia economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
There are 48K children ages 5 and under in DC – 75% of these children have all available parents in the workforce.
The typical annual cost of child care for an infant in DC is around $25,000.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant only reaches 5% of eligible families in DC. (This federal program helps low-income parents afford child care.)
On average, child care providers in DC earn just $37,480 a year; this can make it a challenge to recruit and retain this workforce, leading to supply issues.
District of Columbia’s economy loses $769M annually due to child care challenges
DC: In The Headlines
Opinion: Child Care Centers Are Small Businesses. They Form Our Village
Word in Black | january 30, 2026
Without accessible, affordable child care, D.C.’s economy fractures — and it’s not just families who suffer.
Rising child care costs. What help is out there?
Fox 5 DC | January 27, 2026
Why child care is so expensive right now — and what help actually exists for parents trying to make it work.
Federal workers struggle to cover childcare costs
WJLA | October 14, 2025
Many federal workers in the D.C. region are struggling to cover one of their biggest expenses — child care.
District of Columbia Resources & News
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Through the Years: Preschool Development Grants Birth Through Five
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New BPC Report: A Look into Child Care Workforce Licensing Requirements
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The Crucial Role of Early Educators and the Need for Increased Compensation
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FFYF’S 2023 State Fact Sheets
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New 50 State Analysis Shows Impact of Federal Child Care Program
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FFYF’s 2022 Child Care & Early Learning State Fact Sheets
Our analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that the existing patchwork of federal and state early learning and care programs only reaches a fraction of income-eligible families. Federal …
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High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Learn About the Positive Impact of MIECHV in Your State
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2021 State Fact Sheets: Examining the Impact and Unmet Need of Federal & State ECE Funding
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High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
FFYF Releases State Fact Sheets, Highlighting Unique Local Landscapes
This summer, FFYF released updated state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made possible through federal and state …
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Updated Fact Sheets Show Opportunities for States
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See How All 50 States Use CCDBG Funding to Support Working Families Access Quality Child Care
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High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
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