For more than a decade, Erin Farias has watched the low-income families who send children to the day cares she runs navigate America’s broken child care system. Many of those parents had government assistance for school tuition, but half the time, Farias couldn’t count on them to make their co-payments. They were still too high. 

Child Care Aware of America applauds ACF efforts to lower costs and improve provider payment practices. 

Staffing shortages and a lack of facilities have contributed to the long waits for childcare, though the situation has improved somewhat since the pandemic. 

Experts say the supply-and-demand mismatch limits opportunities for families and communities alike: Without reliable and affordable child care, parents can’t join the workforce, stunting household financial stability and regional economies. 

The cost of child care is on the rise in the U.S., up more than 14% over the last five years with the average cost per child at almost $11,000 per year.

CCAoA's CEO Susan Gale Perry shares how critical high quality child care is for families in the U.S. 

Senate committee approves increased investment in our country’s child care and early learning system  

Children aren’t cheap. The cost of living crisis is pushing parents to the edge of their finances, worrying about paying for essentials like food, clothing and childcare.