Why more than 400,000 kids are on waitlists for federal childcare assistance

A student plays with interlocking toys at the Connecticut State University Early Learning Center in New Britain, Ct. on March 12, 2025.

The Child Care and Development Fund, the U.S. government's main source of funding to help low-income families pay for childcare, serves over 1.6 million children in a typical month.

(Image credit: Mark Mirko)