Child Care

Child care subsidies can have a dramatic effect on drawing low-income mothers into the workforce. Yet the current subsidy programs have problems. The fragmented nature of child care funding, with entitlements to some client categories and time limits on others, produces unintended gaps in services. These gaps limit the ability of low-income families to become self-sufficient and can harm the continuity of care for their children. Consolidating federal child care funds could yield some benefits. States also have shortcomings in the supply of child care, in particular infant care, part-time care, care for handicapped children, and child care during late-night work shifts. This suggests that expanding work requirements as part of welfare reform needs to proceed with an eye toward the capacities of the child care system as well.