Parent and Provider Experience Should Inform Child Care Policy

Effective child care policies require parents and providers at the table. CLASP highlights federal guidance enabling states to use funding for equitable community engagement, ensuring lived experiences shape policy.

January 28, 2025 | Press Release | Cemeré James

Trump Cuts Imperil the Well-Being of People Nationwide

January 22, 2025 | Blog Post | Rachel Wilensky

State Allocations for CCDBG Emergency Funding

January 22, 2025 | Report/Brief | Priya Pandey

A Guide to Creating “Safe Space” Policies for Early Childhood Programs

High-quality child care and early education builds a foundation for young children’s healthy development. This drives CLASP’s work to promote policies that support healthy child development and family economic stability. We work to expand resources for child care and early education at the federal and state levels and support access to high-quality care that meets families’ diverse needs. We work to more effectively implement proven federal programs—including the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Head Start, and Early Head Start—that provide child care subsidies and early learning opportunities to low-income families.

Featured Expert:

Stephanie Schmit

Director, Child Care and Early Education

Child Care and Early Education

New from CLASP

February 04, 2025 | Blog Post | Child Care and Early Education

Parent and Provider Experience Should Inform Child Care Policy

January 28, 2025 | Press Release | Child Care and Early Education

Trump Cuts Imperil the Well-Being of People Nationwide

January 22, 2025 | Blog Post | Child Care and Early Education

State Allocations for CCDBG Emergency Funding

January 21, 2025 | Press Release | Child Care and Early Education

Millions of Children Threatened by Repeal of “Protected Area” Safeguards

January 10, 2025 | Blog Post | Child Care and Early Education

The State of Child Care Through the Eyes of a Parent, a Provider, an Advocate, and an Administrator

Child Care Assistance Spending & Participation in 2020

Child care has long been unaffordable and inaccessible for many families. The Child Care Development Fund (CCDF), the primary federal funding source to help families with low incomes access child care, is a crucial support for many families across the country. However, Congress has never funded child care at the level needed to serve all eligible families. In fact, the most recent data from the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) show that in 2019, only 1 in 6 eligible children had access to assistance.

Child Care Assistance Spending & Participation in 2020