National Women's Law Center

Child Care & Early Education

The child care needs of American women and their families have increased dramatically as women with children have entered the paid workforce in unprecedented numbers. Yet high-quality child care is too often unaffordable or simply not available. Women and their families thus have a tremendous stake in public policies that will help make high-quality child care available and affordable to those who need it. That is why the National Women's Law Center is working to improve the quality, affordability, and accessibility of child care, with a special emphasis on ways to expand public and private financing of the changes needed to achieve these goals.

The Latest:

Register for Conference Call on State Early Childhood Advisory Councils on Tuesday, December 1st at 2 p.m. (November 16,2009)
Support Senator Gillibrand's Bill to Improve the Child and Adult Care Food Program: The Access to Nutritious Meals for Young Children Act of 2009 (November 10, 2009)
How States Are Using Economic Recovery Funds for Child Care: Fall 2009 Update (November 9, 2009)
Audio Recording and Transcipt of Update on State Child Care Assistance Policies and Use of Economic Recovery Funds (October 15, 2009)
A new website to better help advocates move forward on the systemic reforms found in the Agenda for Affordable, High-Quality, Child Care.

Economic Recovery: Meeting the Needs of Women and Families

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will help women and families through these tough times, and preserve and create jobs for women and men.

	How States Are Using Economic Recovery Funds for Child Care: Fall 2009 Update (November 9, 2009)
	Audio Recording and Transcipt of Update on State Child Care Assistance Policies and Use of Economic Recovery Funds (October 15, 2009)
	Audio Recording and Transcipt of An Economic Recovery Update: How States Can Use Economic Recovery Funds to Help Child Care (May 21, 2009)
	Guidance on Economic Recovery for Child Care and Early Education
	Making Use of Economic Recovery Funds: Child Care Policy Options for States (March 9, 2009)
	Audio Conference Call featuring Helen Blank and Danielle Ewen: Child Care and Early Education: Opportunities to Serve More Low-Income, Working Families (February 25, 2009)
	NWLC Fact Sheet: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Early Childhood Provisions
	More Details: Child Care and Early Education and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan
	Additional Materials: More on Child Care and Economic Recovery

Federal Early Childhood Developments

The latest letters, publications and information from the National Women's Law Center's child care team on what's happening around early childhood on the federal level.

	Senator Gillibrand's Bill to Improve the Child and Adult Care Food Program: The Access to Nutritious Meals for Young Children Act of 2009 (November 10, 2009)
	Sign-On Letter to Education Secretary Arne Duncan on Increasing Early Care and Education Initiatives for FY 2011 (October 28, 2009)
	Sign-On Letter to Robert Gordon of the OMB on Funding Key Early Childhood Programs in the FY 2011 Budget (October 28, 2009)
	Sign-On Letter to Congress on Early Learning Challenge Fund included in H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (September 14, 2009)
	Sign-On Letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on FY 2011 Budget Request for Child Care and Head Start (September 9, 2009)
	NWLC Early Childhood and After School Appropriations Update (August 19, 2009)
	Summary of the Early Learning Challenge Fund (July 16, 2009)
	Federal Roadmap for Early Childhood in 2009
	President Obama’s Budget and Child Care and Early Education Programs (May 8, 2009)
	Memo from the Child Care and Early Learning Coalition to the Transition Team

Developing America's Potential: An Agenda for Affordable, High-Quality Child Care

Developing America’s Potential: An Agenda for Affordable High-Quality Child Care is the product of a historic collaboration of national and state organizations to craft a shared “blueprint” for the future of child care. It offers a solid framework for guiding the reauthorization for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and other opportunities for child care improvement in the new administration and new Congress.

	Website: Check out our new website to help advocates move the Agenda forward
	Full Agenda: The full Agenda for Affordable, High-Quality Child Care
	Summary: A one-page summary of the Agenda for Affordable, High-Quality Child Care
	Take Action: Sign on to Support a New Child Care Agenda -Organizations -Individuals

A Platform for Progress: Building a Better Future for Women and Their Families

With the 2008 election behind us, it's time to look to the future and work together to tackle the issues that are so critical to women and their families.

	A Platform for Progress: Building Economic Security
	Poll Findings: What Women Want

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