For Immediate Release
September 11, 2025
Contact: press@spotlightpr.org
Despite Wins in a Handful of States, More Action is Needed on Child Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Movement at the federal level on child care continues to stall amid partisan fights. What’s more, the Big Beautiful Bill Act will reduce states’ access to federal dollars for health and food nutrition. Now more than ever, organizers must passionately advocate for state investments in child care and other supportive services. This is the only way to keep young families whole.
Fortunately, grassroots organizers are pushing back on cuts and harmful policies to win change for children and families. Over the past several months, child care providers and advocates defeated policies that would have pushed child care out of reach for hundreds of thousands of individuals and families. Below is a list of some of the defensive gains. If you’d like to speak with any of the groups below, please let us know.
- Thanks to years of organizing by Olé and other partners, New Mexico officials announced free universal child care starting Nov. 1, 2025.
- Child Care for CT celebrated the recent announcement of a $300 million early childhood endowment fund. The fund will support child care access for years to come, with national coverage noting that other states are looking to follow Connecticut’s lead.
- As a result of the work of Kids Count on Us, Minnesota launched a program to offset child care costs for the children of early childhood educators.
- Maine People’s Alliance saw over 200 people join a “No Cuts to Child Care” strike in opposition of over $35 million in child care cuts. Consequently, the cuts were roundly rejected.
- Family Forward Oregon organized to protect funding for early childhood education.
- The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice organized in Louisiana to revamp tax credits for child care and establish a statewide Fatherhood Engagement Task Force.
- The Alliance for Quality Education organized and New York officials allocated $400 million in the state budget to their Child Care Assistance Program.
No matter how dire the moment, we know that we can win if we refuse to quit. These victories demonstrate that when parents, child care providers and advocates work together, they can move mountains on behalf of children and the early childhood educators who serve them.
“While children and families still live in a world where lifeline services – such as housing assistance, food assistance, and a fully-funded child care system – are undermined, we will not surrender hope,” said Lenice C. Emanuel, Executive Director of the Alabama Institute for Social Justice.
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