As the COVID-19 health and economic crisis continues, the child care industry is pushed further towards the brink of collapse. Throughout the pandemic, the sector has adhered to public health guidance and ensured frontline personnel have access to care, however as the field moves towards additional reopening, and planning for the fall, additional support is needed to ensure child care programs, both center-based and family child care, outlast the pandemic. 

The COVID-19 situation and its impact are fluid, changing from day to day. There are many uncertainties regarding child care and child care operations, and child care professionals at both the program and system level must be nimble in their response to the pandemic. They must lean on and build upon the strengths that have served them well and will continue to serve them well during COVID-19 and beyond: relationship-based practices and data-driven decision making.

As parents and caregivers navigate a return to the workforce and the start of a new school year, child care is a critical support to reopening the economy and providing stability to families. It has become abundantly clear that no industry will be able to restart if the child care sector is allowed to collapse. We need to ensure that all child care providers can open as soon as it is safe to do so – so that families are able to get back to work as soon as they’re able. To make that happen, Congress must provide at least $50 billion in dedicated child care funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

To make this a reality, advocacy has never been more important. Child Care Aware^® of America (CCAoA)has compiled a comprehensive toolkit to make it easy to have an effective conversation with your Members of Congress from the comfort and safety of your own home. The following steps will guide your through these resources.  

The coronavirus pandemic continues to highlight the vital role child care plays for millions of children and families, especially for those who work on the front lines of the crisis. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is also underscoring the precariousness of high-quality, affordable and accessible child care – the result of years of underinvestment in the system.  

State policies play an important role in exacerbating or mitigating these factors.  

Our child care system could not function without Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies. For more than 30 years they have helped families find quality child care and information on where to get help paying for care. They have also offered trainings and supports to providers to open and operate their businesses and to continually improve the quality of their care. In addition, CCR&Rs have gathered data on child care needs and trends – information that is helpful to families, providers and policy makers.  

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to highlight the vital role child care plays for millions of children and families, especially for those who work on the front lines of the crisis. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is also underscoring the precariousness of high-quality, affordable and accessible child care – the result of years of underinvestment in the system.