We were excited to have more than 300 attendees join us for this year’s Child Care Aware® of America Policy Summit on April 23-25 in Washington, D.C. Child care resource and referral (CCR&R) agencies and early child care professionals from various disciplines and settings joined us from across the nation to address policy, practice, and the future of the early childhood field. Attendees engaged in insightful sessions, profited from key takeaways, networked, and (most importantly) made their voices heard during our special Day on the Hill event, where child care advocates and allies had an opportunity to meet with their Congressional representatives and put child care initiatives at the forefront of the political conversation.

This week, the Trump Administration released a broad tax proposal to Congress which includes expanding the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) with the possibility of making it refundable.

Child Care Aware® of America’s Chief of Policy, Michelle McCready had the pleasure of speaking with The Preschool Podcast, a platform for leaders in early childhood education to share their experiences, thoughts and insights in the world of early learning.

Child Care Aware® of America and Child Care Works have joined with CLASP, NWLC, NAEYC, NAFCC, NBCDI, YWCA, and ZERO TO THREE for national call-in day for child care.

Did you miss our child care policy briefing on March 23, 2017 for Congressional staffers on the issue of child care? Visit our Facebook page to see a recording of the live coverage.

Approximately 45 congressional staffers attend the event when CCAoA discussed the state of public investments in child care and early childhood development programs and what Congress can do both maintain and improve them. This briefing also discussed importance of federal child care programs like the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), as well as provided insight into how child care is critical to families, providers, and local businesses.

The most recent data shows that millennials are having children later in life than the generation before them. According to a study by Goldman Sachs, the median age for millennials to get married has increased from 23 to 30!

As I get older, I am bombarded with the following question: “When are you going to have children, Mia?”  It happens in every single family conversation! I usually shrug off the question and say that I’m just not ready. The truth? I am a struggling millennial, and between paying off my student loans, paying off my car, paying for insurance, and paying for the occasional meal out, I just can’t afford children. At least not right now.