Business Insider
Many [child care centers] will stay shuttered for good. Her estimate? "It's going to be at least 30% of all child care centers in the US," she said.
Ami Gadhia, chief of policy, research, and programs at Child Care Aware, agreed with that statistic, saying it sounded "reasonable" to her, unfortunately.
In the coronavirus relief bill enacted on March 27, Congress allocated $3.5 billion to the Child Care Development Block Grant. This funding is helping states provide crucial temporary aid to providers and support the cost of providing child care for children of essential workers. However, advocates say it is not enough to keep centers afloat.
Former presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith are calling on Senate leaders to include their plan for a $50 billion child care bailout in the next coronavirus relief package. It's uncertain whether the Republican-led Senate will pass the measure.
"If we're going to bail out cruise lines and airlines, why aren't we bailing out the child care industry? No one can go back to work in other industries if their children aren't in safe, healthy settings," Gadhia said.
