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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 14 august 2019

Report: Costs in most states exceed subsidies for child care

WASHINGTON (AP) — Child States have discretion over san agreement, Congress struggling to afford care administration has moved
care costs in most states the how to administer the approved a $2.4 billion in- across all income levels, it's to tighten work require-
exceed federal subsidy program: They set their crease to the fund. But ad- dire for low-income fami- ments for low-income
payments provided to low- own income requirements vocates say money contin- lies," said Catherine White, families that receive food
income parents, according and decide how much ues to be a problem. director of child care and stamps and housing assis-
to a newly released report families are expected to "CCDF is severely under- early learning at the Na- tance, creating concern
from the Department of contribute. The report cites funded, and as families tional Women's Law Cen- for parents unable to find
Health and Human Ser- several reasons that states across the country are ter. Meanwhile, the Trump affordable child care.q

In this Aug. 27, 2018, Vincent Seeborn, 2, reaches out from a
structure on the playground at the Wallingford Child Care Cen-
ter in Seattle.
Associated Press

vices Office of Inspector may keep their rates low,
General, leaving working including stretching limited
families with few affordable resources to serve more
options. families and taking into
The report , released Tues- consideration the cost of
day, focuses on the Child higher-quality care. Nine-
Care Development Fund, teen states reported pay-
an $8.2 billion block grant ing enrollment and regis-
that goes toward offsetting tration fees for low-income
the cost of care for 1.4 mil- families, and seven states
lion children nationwide. said they pay for extra child
The fund is the primary care activities such as field
federal funding source for trips.
child care assistance for eli- The Administration for Chil-
gible working parents. dren and Families, which
The federal recommenda- oversees the block grant,
tion is that states provide relies on states to self-certify
payment rates at the 75th that they are setting rates
percentile, which allows that ensure low-income
eligible families to access families have equal access
3 out of 4 providers without to care. But the inspector
paying more out of pocket. general report shows most
But the report shows most states aren't meeting the
states set their rates much requirements.
lower. Last year, under a biparti-