Press Releases

Washington, DC - The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) today released a report showing that states, facing budget crises and shrinking federal funds, continued to cut child care subsidies in 2003 for low-income working families. The report found an increase of 10 percent in additional children being placed on waiting lists for child care assistance from 2002 to 2003.

CDF's report shows that funding cuts have affected child care assistance in a variety of ways: Many more families have been put on waiting lists; fewer families are eligible for assistance because income eligibility limits have been lowered; parent co-pays have increased; and provider reimbursements have been reduced.

States have also eliminated or reduced funding for quality initiatives such as professional development and training for providers; improvements in infant and toddler care, as well as improvements in pre-kindergarten programs, and school-age programs. These steps have severely limited low-income working families' access to high quality, affordable child care and early education. The report finds that in 2003:

• 550,000 children were on waiting lists in 23 states;
• Sixteen states reduced eligibility levels so that fewer children in need qualify for assistance;
• Nine states cut funding for after-school care; and
• Nine states scaled back prekindergarten initiatives that improve access to early learning.

The report further finds that, absent additional investments from the federal government, the situation for children in need of child care and early education programs is not likely to improve anytime soon—and could grow worse. States that have managed to avoid major cuts so far have often done so by using up reserves or one-time funding that will no longer be available.

As Congress considers budget plans for 2005, CDF is calling on U.S. Senators and Representatives to support children and families in their states who need child care assistance. One major source of federal funding for child care is the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), which provides federal funds to support child care assistance to more than two million children. But only one out of seven children eligible for this assistance actually received it in 2003. Without additional child care funds, at least 200,000 children will lose the support they currently have, while millions more will receive no help at all.

"This new report makes it clear that Congress cannot turn a blind eye to the needs of millions of low-income working families struggling to raise their children without the resources to care for them properly," said Marian Wright Edelman, President of the Children's Defense Fund. "We urge members of Congress to make sure every child in every state has access to quality child care."

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The mission of the Children's Defense Fund is to Leave No Child Behind and to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. CDF provides a strong, effective voice for all the children of America who cannot vote, lobby, or speak for themselves. We pay particular attention to the needs of poor and minority children and those with disabilities. CDF educates the nation about the needs of children and encourages preventive investment before they get sick, into trouble, drop out of school, or suffer family breakdown. CDF began in 1973 and is a private, nonprofit organization supported by foundation and corporate grants and individual donations. We have never taken government funds.