217,000 Children at Risk of Losing CCDBG-Funded Child Care
By Anitha Mohan
A new CLASP fact sheet projects that up to 217,000 children could lose child care assistance in 2018 if funding for CCDBG is not increased. The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), the primary source of federal funding for child care subsidies for low-income working families, supports children’s development while strengthening their families’ economic security.
Currently, CCDBG participation is at an all-time low, with the number of children receiving CCDBG-funded child care on the decline for five straight years. At current investment levels, only about 15 percent of children who are eligible receive child care assistance.
An increase of $1.4 billion is needed in FY2018 to fully fund the bipartisan 2014 CCDBG reauthorization without further reducing the number of children served. The reauthorization included new provisions, such as training, professional development, and comprehensive background checks for child care providers. These important provisions require significant investment in CCDBG. Without these new investments – up to 217,000 children could lose child care assistance in 2018. Congress should prioritize investments critical to low-income people, including CCDBG and other vital programs.
