Advocates say US needs $50 billion for child care during pandemic
By Bo Evans
(EXCERPT)
“It will cost at least $9.6 billion in new funding to sustain the sector for each month that the pandemic carries on,” said Stephanie Schmit, who works for the Center for Law and Social Policy.
According to its analysis, the country will need $50 billion for child care services to make it through the pandemic.
In the CARES Act, only $3.5 billion was allocated for child care relief. Schmit says that won’t last very long.
“To put the $3.5 billion into context, we estimate that $3.5 billion will only last about two weeks,” she explained.
Money for child care from the government is sent out in block grants to the states, then distributed by each state to facilities, like the YMCA of Northern Colorado. It’s used to lower their costs to parents.
“The funding would pass at the federal level, it would pass down to states, who would then pass the money on to providers. Providers would then pass on the cost savings to families,” said Schmit.
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