Cutbacks in State Assistance

12/02/2004

"If I were to fall backwards, I would break my nose." - English Proverb

Cutbacks in State Assistance

An analysis of state child care assistance policies conducted by the National Women's Law Center, reveals that states are cutting back child care assistance programs even as the number of families below the poverty line increases, leaving many low income parents without assistance as they struggle to be able to work, stay off welfare and take care of their children.

Some of the findings of the Law Center report, "Child Care Assistance Policies 2001-2004: Families Struggling to Move Forward, States Going Backward," include...

* Between 2001 and 2004, the income eligibility cutoff for a family to qualify for child care assistance declined as a percentage of the poverty level in about three-fifths of the states;

* Between 2001 and 2004, a family of three at 150 percent of the poverty level saw its child care cost burden increase in about half the states -- because the state either increased copayments for families receiving assistance or lowered its income cutoff so that a family at this income level was no longer even eligible for any help.

* Between 2001 and 2004, the number of states with inadequate or outdated reimbursement rates for child care providers rose from 29 to 37.

For a copy of this NWLC report, go to http://www.nwlc.org/pdf/ChildCareSubsidyFinalReport.pdf.

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.