Child Care Cliff: 3.2 Million Children Likely to Loose Spots with End of Federal Funds

Authors: Julie Kashen, Laura Valle Gutierrez, Lea Woods, and Jessica Milli

Note: This article was published on June 21, 2023 by The Century Foundation.

Beginning September 30, 2023, states will face a steep dropoff in federal child care investment. Without Congressional action, this cliff will have dire consequences. More than three million children are projected to lose access to child care nationwide. Seventy-thousand child care programs are likely to close. This will have ripple effects for parents forced out of work or to cut their work hours, for businesses who will lose valuable employees or experience the impact of their employees’ child care disruptions, and state economies that will lose tax revenue and jobs in the child care sector as a result.