Testimony in Response to Senate Hearing on Examining the State of Child Care: How Federal Policy Solutions Can Support Families, Close Existing Gaps, and Strengthen Economic[...]

In this written testimony, Urban Institute researchers provide evidence from recent studies on child care access and quality, the subsidy system, and the child care workforce in response to a Senate committee hearing on the state of child care in the US. Child care is essential for children, families, businesses, and the greater economy, but far more resources are needed to ensure states and localities are meeting families' child care needs. This testimony highlights how searching for and selecting child care can be a daunting task for parents; why expanding access to child care subsidies is critical for improving affordability; and how efforts to increase workforce compensation have been shown to boost staff recruitment, professional well-being, and retention. The authors also offer recommendations for potential federal policy solutions.