Why more than 400,000 kids are on waitlists for federal childcare assistance
Waitlists for federal childcare assistance have tripled to 400,000 children as costs for daycare continue to rise. Advocates argue that insufficient federal funding for the Child Care and Development Fund is failing to meet the needs of low-income working families.
Why it matters
The childcare crisis directly impacts workforce participation and the developmental outcomes of children in low-income households.
For low-income working families in the United States, the federal government offers financial aid to help pay for childcare. That is, if families can get off the waitlist for it.
In the second half of last year, there were an estimated 400,000 children on waitlists for childcare assistance programs across the U.S., according to a report by the National Women's Law Center released in May. That's nearly the size of the population of Minneapolis.
That figure has more than tripled over the past two years. Around 118,800 kids were on waitlists in early 2024, the group found.
But there has not been nearly enough money available for caregivers looking for financial help, especially recently as childcare costs have ballooned nationwide.
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