Excerpts:

Our conclusion after six years of studying child care regulations and oversight is that we still cannot  say with confidence that America's children are protected by state licensing and oversight systems. Nor can we say that child care policies are in place to help young children learn and be ready for school.

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In every state, child care can be hard to find, difficult to afford and is likely to be of mediocre quality. State licensing standards vary greatly, with few states meeting the most basic standards to ensure that children are safe and learning while in child care.

Child Care in America: 2012 State Fact Sheets is useful to program administrators, policymakers and child care advocates as they make decisions about child care programs and expenditures. It  provides the data to better understand America's working families and the circumstances families face as they balance working to support their families with providing their children with child care that is safe, healthy and promotes early learning.