The child care and early learning news you don\u2019t want to miss. Check here for updates every Friday for the latest information you need to know.<\/p>\n
January 30<\/p>\n
Today is the deadline for Congress to fund the federal government, including funding for important child care and early learning programs that families rely on. Here\u2019s the latest:<\/p>\n
The Senate struck an initial deal<\/a> to pass 5 spending bills that would fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year (including child care and early learning programs) along with a stopgap measure to fund the Department of Homeland Security for 2 weeks while negotiations continue. The vote, initially scheduled for yesterday, hit a snag<\/a> last night, leaving passage up in the air.<\/p>\n New national polling<\/a> from FFYF shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents.<\/p>\n Working parents in every industry face child care challenges \u2013 teachers are no exception<\/a>. Rising costs and fewer federal resources for child care present professional obstacles for teachers with young kids.\u00a0<\/p>\n Check here for updates<\/a> on how the appropriations process is playing out for child care and early learning funding.<\/p>\n Rural communities are getting creative<\/a> when it comes to child care solutions in areas where access and opportunity are lacking.\u00a0<\/p>\n Bookmark our News and Resources page<\/a> to check back for more updates and stay up to date on the latest child care and early learning news.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n January 23<\/p>\n Congress got one step closer to funding increases for child care and early learning this week as the funding deadline at the end of the month looms closer. We have additional information on appropriations progress and more in today\u2019s Friday Five.<\/p>\n The House of Representatives released a Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations package<\/a> that includes funding increases for federal early learning and care programs.\u00a0<\/p>\n The RAPID Survey Project at the Stanford Center on Early Childhood found in a recent study<\/a> that U.S. parents across all income levels have trouble finding, and affording, child care for their children.<\/p>\n Reported by CBS News, recent analysis<\/a> demonstrates the steep financial burden of child care in the U.S. for working parents.<\/p>\n The House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing<\/a> last week to highlight the role employers can play in supporting access to child care.<\/p>\n Governor Ivey of Alabama announced<\/a> the state received a $3.8 million federal Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five to support continued efforts to strengthen and align the early childhood education system.<\/p>\n Subscribe to First Look<\/a> and our weekly newsletter, FFYF Insider<\/a> to stay in-the-know as things on Capitol Hill will progress quickly over the next week.<\/p>\n January 16<\/p>\n This was another busy week for child care as we head closer to the Congressional funding deadline at the end of the month. The resources and stories below will give you the tools and information you need to stay informed on all things child care and early learning.<\/p>\n For the next 6 days we are taking action by telling Congress to protect and prioritize child care investments during the Appropriations process. Join us using this toolkit<\/a>!<\/p>\n New research reported in The Washington Post<\/a> shows 1 in 5 families face child care hardships because of child care expenses, with single mothers most affected.<\/p>\n First Five Years Fund and our partners recently hosted an advocacy webinar<\/a> underscoring why now is the time to speak up for child care.<\/p>\n In Vermont<\/a>, the federal Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5) will help strengthen the state\u2019s child care and pre-K programs, among other early childhood services.<\/p>\n FFYF and 50 other national organizations issued a joint statement<\/a> to emphasize the urgent need to ensure that federal child care resources continue to reach eligible families with young children, while maintaining active oversight and accountability.<\/p>\n Be sure to follow us on social media using the links at the bottom of this page to stay tuned for more ways to get involved over the coming weeks.<\/p>\n December 19<\/p>\n As we close out 2025, we are looking back on the incredible accomplishments made this year and looking forward to continuing this important work to make child care more affordable and accessible for families in 2026.<\/p>\n Our last Friday Five of the year serves as a reminder of what we can get done when we work together and what challenges still need sustained solutions. Check them out below \ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n 2025 gave us plenty to celebrate for child care and early learning. These 10 bright spots<\/a> lay a strong foundation for continued progress in supporting children and families across the country.<\/p>\n Families continue to struggle to afford the child care they need. This EdSource piece<\/a> highlights that child care costs are exceeding rent in metro areas across the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n Congresswomen Kristen McDonald Rivet and Jen Kiggans recently introduced the bipartisan Child Care Access and Affordability Act<\/a> in an effort to prioritize child care for working families.<\/p>\n Areas like Spokane County<\/a> are experiencing serious child care challenges that impact families, providers, and employers alike.\u00a0<\/p>\n This week, Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act<\/a>, taking an important step toward addressing the critical child care needs of military families.<\/p>\n Wishing you a happy holiday season and a wonderful new year! We\u2019ll be back in your inbox with the first First Look of 2026 on January 5th.<\/p>\n December 12<\/p>\n This week, stories from across the country highlighted the challenges faced by both parents and providers as rising costs are creating financial burdens for families. Congress has the opportunity to invest in child care and early learning by passing a full year spending package<\/a> by January 30th.<\/p>\n Check out this week\u2019s Friday Five highlights below:<\/p>\n NBC reports<\/a> that working moms are leaving the workforce due to rising child care costs and shifting work policies.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Head Start program has supported young learners and their families for 60 years. K-12 Dive <\/a>recently highlighted what makes this program work.\u00a0<\/p>\n Being a working parent means juggling a variety of responsibilities, a recent piece in Forbes <\/a>shares how child care costs and lack of access adds to these burdens.\u00a0<\/p>\n A survey from the RAPID Survey Project<\/a> found that 58% of providers surveyed experienced hunger in June 2025 demonstrating the instability experienced by many in the industry.<\/p>\n Cost Estimation Models<\/a> are one tool states can use to strengthen the workforce, enhance the quality of care children receive, and reinforce child care as a whole.\u00a0<\/p>\n You can make your voice heard on these important issues by contacting your Member of Congress through our Action Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n December 5<\/p>\n The countdown to the January 30th funding deadline has officially begun! Lawmakers have 56 days to fully fund the federal government. Without a full-year deal<\/a>, families, children, and early learning programs could again face uncertainty, putting access to child care and early learning at risk.<\/p>\n Here are the resources you need to stay involved and informed going into the weekend:<\/p>\n Use our action center<\/a> to tell Congress: Pass the FY26 Labor-HHS-Education bill to ensure full-year funding for the programs that support child care and early learning for families around the country.<\/p>\n Many Head Start programs are just starting to open back up now after the recent shutdown like these programs in Toledo, OH<\/a>.<\/p>\n A recent report from the Center for American Progress<\/a> shows that Head Start is a valuable model for addressing the needs of vulnerable young children through quality care and mental health services.<\/p>\n In addition to sustained federal funding, tax credits like 45F<\/a> help increase access to child care while making it even easier for businesses to support working parents like this example in Lincoln, NE<\/a>.<\/p>\n ICYMI The Build America Caucus<\/a>, led by Representatives Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), Jen Kiggans (VA-02), and Chair Josh Harder (CA-09), recently hosted a bipartisan child care roundtable.<\/p>\n Stay tuned for more highlights by making sure you\u2019re subscribed to this newsletter<\/a> and our weekly FFYF Insider<\/a>.<\/p>\n November 21<\/p>\n Members of Congress now have until January 30th to pass full-year spending bills for FY26, including funding for child care and early learning programs including the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Head Start.<\/p>\n Check out the stories and resources below for more on Congress and the child care challenges facing families:<\/p>\n Hot on the Hill:<\/a> Congress must act quickly to provide increased stability for families, children, and programs by passing the Senate FY26 Labor-H appropriations bill that prioritizes funding for child care and early learning programs for a full year.<\/p>\n Thousands of children in several states across the U.S. remain locked out of Head Start programming. Fox News<\/a> is reporting on how families are impacted.<\/p>\n CBS News<\/a> is sharing new data which shows that families are struggling to afford child care, with costs competing with rent for the highest household expense\u00a0<\/p>\n Our friends at Child Care Aware of America<\/a> demonstrate in their new report how an uncertain patchwork of child care funding and the reemergence of waitlists are shaping the futures of families.\u00a0<\/p>\n Need to catch up? Here\u2019s a refresher<\/a> on all things appropriations as Members of Congress make major funding decisions that will impact child care and early learning.<\/p>\n Note: First Look will be taking a short break for the Thanksgiving holiday but we\u2019ll be back in your inbox Monday, December 1st. See you then!<\/p>\n November 14<\/p>\n This week saw the longest shutdown in U.S. history come to a close. The shutdown demonstrated the fragile state of funding for child care and early learning programs and the need to continue investing in programs that help make child care more affordable and accessible for families.\u00a0<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what you can expect next from Capitol Hill and beyond:\u00a0<\/p>\n The Washington Post<\/a> reported on the end of the shutdown confirming that the deal will fund the government through January 30th.\u00a0<\/p>\n FFYF released this statement<\/a> urging Congress to act quickly to provide increased stability for families by passing a spending bill that funds child care and early learning programs through Fiscal Year 2026.<\/p>\n According to Roll Call<\/a>, the Senate is preparing to consider the Labor-HHS-Education funding bill as soon as next week.<\/p>\n As a refresher, here is a timeline<\/a> of where appropriations discussions stood before the government shutdown including the Senate proposal from July which includes robust funding for child care and early learning programs.<\/p>\n Head Start programs that closed their doors and sent staff home this month could face obstacles to reopening, even now that federal funding has been restored. Some programs like in the Tampa Bay region<\/a> will continue to pause services until they receive funding.<\/p>\n You can tell your Members of Congress to protect and prioritize funding for child care and early learning by visiting our action center<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n November 7th<\/p>\n Since the November 1st funding deadline for Head Start has come and gone, programs in states across the country have had to close their doors leaving more than 9,000 children and families without access to the care, early learning, nutrition, and stability Head Start provides.<\/p>\n The stories and resources below give a closer look at child care and early learning challenges faced by families right now:<\/p>\n FFYF is continuing to track local stories and data around the shutdown on our\u00a0Impact page<\/a>.\u00a0Check back daily for updates.<\/p>\n Local Head Start programs are doing everything they can to stay afloat. This\u00a0Stateline story<\/a>\u00a0gives a birdseye view at how communities are handling it.<\/p>\n Sarah Rubinfield recently joined\u00a0Early Childhood Chats<\/a>\u00a0from the Institute for Childhood Preparedness to sound the alarm on what\u2019s at stake for children, families, and communities nationwide as this shutdown continues.<\/p>\n Head Start parents are scrambling to find child care as programs are forced to close their door during the shutdown.\u00a0NPR\u2019s\u00a0<\/a>Here & Now<\/a>\u00a0spoke with a mother in Ohio who relies on Head Start.<\/p>\n CBS Sunday Morning<\/a>\u00a0profiled the bipartisan work of Senators Katie Britt (R-AL) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) in updating child care tax credits for the first time in a quarter-century.<\/p>\n We will continue to\u00a0monitor the shutdown<\/a>\u00a0as it develops and give you the latest updates on how it is affecting families with young children.\u00a0<\/p>\n October 31<\/p>\n As the federal shutdown continues with no end in sight, news coverage this week focused on what this means for Head Start programs at the federal, state, and local level. Over 100 programs are facing a big deadline tomorrow.<\/p>\n Check out the stories and resources below for a quick refresher on where things stand:<\/p>\n The Washington Post reports in today\u2019s Early Brief<\/a> that federal programs like Head Start will face massive impacts if the shut down continues. They spoke with FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling<\/a> to learn more.<\/p>\n First Five Years Fund and 129 other organizations<\/a> issued a joint statement urging Congress to take action to protect Head Start by ending the federal shutdown now.<\/p>\n More reporting from NOTUS<\/a> shares how lawmakers are discussing the shutdown on Capitol Hill and why advocates are saying it has to end.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Associated Press<\/a> has the big picture look at how the shutdown could affect tens of thousands of children.\u00a0<\/p>\n Politico<\/a> highlighted what\u2019s next for Head Start programs facing closure in the coming days if the shutdown continues.\u00a0<\/p>\n Note: FFYF is tracking news coverage of the impact the shutdown is having on Head Start programs across the country HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n October 24<\/p>\n As the federal shutdown stretches into its fourth week, national coverage has zeroed in on its toll on Head Start \u2014 jeopardizing the early learning, nutrition, and stability that thousands of young children and families rely on across the country.<\/p>\n First Five Years Fund<\/a> summed up what\u2019s at stake in a new statement from Executive Director Sarah Rittling: \u201cIf the shutdown continues past November 1st, Head Start grantees in 40+ states and Puerto Rico will not receive their funding, putting tens of thousands of children at risk of losing access to Head Start and the services their families depend on. Without action, the consequences will only get worse.\u201d<\/p>\n Education Week<\/a> reports on how the prolonged federal shutdown is threatening Head Start programs nationwide, putting essential early education and support for thousands of children at risk.<\/p>\n NBC News<\/a> also warned that Head Start programs \u201cflash red lights\u201d ahead of the November 1st deadline. They spoke with Michelle LaJoie, the executive director for a Head Start program in Michigan, who says, \u201c\u201cFor many kids, children in our community, this is where they get nutritious meals.\u201d<\/p>\n In Iowa, Our Quad City news<\/a> spoke to Daniel Sheridan, CEO of Community Action of Eastern Iowa, a Head Start provider, about the importance of early education: \u201cA child who receives early care and education and supports when they\u2019re young end up being twice as likely to be kindergarten ready.\u201d<\/p>\n In Kansas City, KCUR<\/a> highlights the other services Head Start provides. According to the director of a local Head Start program, Kasey Lawson, \u201cHead Start is more than just education. We also provide children and families with support services for mental health disabilities, health and nutrition services.\u201d<\/p>\n Stay up to date HERE<\/a> with the most up to date stats and stories related to Head Start and the shutdown.\u00a0<\/p>\n October 17<\/p>\n This week, both national and local press focused on the specific challenges that arise when working parents struggle to find and afford child care.\u00a0<\/p>\n 9News in Colorado<\/a> reports that, due to a shortage of child care providers, some Colorado parents are leaving the workplace.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Mountain State Spotlight<\/a> showcases parents in West Virginia who are feeling the child care strain.\u00a0<\/p>\n Public News Service<\/a> highlights new polling from First Five Years Fund showing that families are about how hard it is to find and afford childcare, and they want Congress to take action.<\/p>\n Military families tell San Diego\u2019s NBC7<\/a> that, as they continue to work without a paycheck during the ongoing federal shutdown, they are increasingly stressed about how to pay for child care.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n And First Five Years Fund is tracking the impact the federal shutdown could have on child care and early learning programs in its frequently updated State Of Play<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Want to stay in the loop on everything happening in child care and early learning? <\/p>\n Get a quick roundup of the day\u2019s top stories straight to your inbox every weekday morning.<\/p>\n