Excerpts

During the height of the pandemic, the U.S. government tried to help both parents and child care centers and the American Rescue Plan, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act provided $52 billion for child care stabilization. This enabled centers to pay staff, improve facilities, purchase protective equipment, and pay mortgage and rental fees.

But like other temporary COVID measures — including free school meals for every student and increased food stamp allocations — this one will expire; cash infusions for child care end on September 30 and there seems to be little momentum for renewing them.

The impending end of cash support for child care has led providers and advocates to fear additional staff layoffs, increased tuition fees, and more programs shuttering if ends no longer meet.