Expanding Access Full Brief 

By Rachel Wilensky, Alejandra Londono Gomez, Alyssa Fortner, and Tiffany Ferrette
Originally published June 2023 | Updated September 2024

This brief offers states ways to improve child care access within the confines of the current system. It focuses on policies surrounding financial assistance for child care. Due to racial and economic barriers, expanding equity in access to such support is especially vital to families of color with low incomes. Both large-scale transformative policies and smaller-scale policy flexibility are discussed and recommended. 

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Expanding Access Fact Sheets 

By Rachel Wilensky, Alyssa Fortner, and Shira Small | October 2024 

These fact sheets offer a focused look at each of the main topics covered in the full brief. The fact sheets are intended to help state child care agencies and advocates assess existing policies and identify opportunities to increase access to child care. 

Improving Information Accessibility and Outreach 

Opportunities to design equitable, inclusive, and accessible outreach policies that can help bridge the information gap. 

Simplifying the Application and Streamlining Eligibility 

Opportunities to make the eligibility and documentation processes in applications more accessible for families and easier for state child care agencies to manage. 

Increasing Affordability 

Opportunities to ensure that high costs don’t prevent families from getting the child care they need. 

Recruiting Diverse Providers 

Opportunities to recruit providers who meet a range of family needs.