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Child Care Crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on our already fragile child care system. Providers have closed, others are struggling, and everyone it seems is realizing that without child care, America can’t get back to work. (Yes, child care is infrastructure.) Early Learning Nation is covering the field with rigor and nuance from a historical perspective (Universal Child Care was a great success during WWII), to the latest legislative proposals and to ways that we must transform the way we treat our undervalued and largely unseen child care workforce.

The Economic Argument for Child Care Is Urgent. But Is a Child Care System Built for Maximizing Economic Returns Best for the People Involved?

Haley Swenson·December 5, 2023·5 min read

Experts say that every dollar invested in care produces $9 in spending. Child care spending in particular both creates jobs...

The Child Care Cliff, A Cautionary Tale

Rebecca Gale and Dianne Kirsch (Illustrator)·September 28, 2023·3 min read

A graphic story on the child care cliff and end of ARPA funding for child care

Bill Aims to Continue Critical Child Care Funding Set to Expire at End of September

Bruno J. Navarro·September 26, 2023·2 min read

With nearly $40 billion in federal child care subsidies set to expire at the end of September, U.S. Sen. Patty...

A Top Priority for Generation Z? Child Care

New Survey Shows Generation Z Values Child Care as a Leading Workplace Benefit

Rebecca Gale·September 19, 2023·5 min read

Kelly Choi crunched the numbers on child care, and the results didn’t look good. Like the majority (66 percent) of...

Child Care for the Broadway Babies

Here Lies Love Partners with Parent Artist Advocacy League, Broadway Babysitters and Open Jar Studios to Offer Child Care at Matinees

Alice Bradley·August 29, 2023·4 min read

“Here Lies Love”—the Broadway musical based on the life of Imelda Marcos, former First Lady of the Philippines—is a groundbreaking...

New Research Examines How Austerity Following the Great Recession Widened the Child Care Gender Gap

Bruno J. Navarro·August 9, 2023·3 min read

Among the myriad economic effects on U.S. families stemming from the Great Recession, austerity measures implemented in many states also...

American Rescue Plan Act Funds Are On The Way to Help Child Care Providers – But Will it Be Enough?

Blacksburg, Virginia has money allocated to give child care providers a much-needed pay boost, but for some it may be too late.

Rebecca Gale·August 8, 2023·9 min read

Lourdie believes she has found her life’s work as a child care worker. She loves her work in the infant-toddler...

Child Care is Now Free for Some Families–Which Raises Some Questions!

Elliot Haspel·August 1, 2023·6 min read

Elliot’s Provocations unpacks current events in the early learning world and explores how we can chart a path to a...

Minnesota Makes Major Strides on Behalf of Children and Families

Legislative Session Brings $750 Million in New Funds for Child Care and Early Learning Programs

Rebecca Gale·July 25, 2023·4 min read

There are major changes coming for families in Minnesota. That is how Representative Dave Pinto explains it. The Democratic legislator,...

For Years, Republican States Wouldn’t Pass Diaper Laws. The End of Abortion Protections Changed That.

Chabeli Carrazana·July 12, 2023·9 min read

2023 will likely be a banner year in diaper legislation. The issue, which has long gone unaddressed, is getting renewed attention from states looking to pass “pro-family” policy following the reversal of Roe v. Wade.