Illinois Families, Child Care Providers on Edge Following Trump Funding Freeze
Excerpt:
Stephanie Schmit, director of child care and early education at the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), said that Illinois experienced funding delays — having to continuously defend its need for resources to the federal government.
“A lot of these checks and balances are already within the CCDF system that require states, in advance of even being approved to receive the resources, to explain how they are going to use the money,” she said. “Another layer on top of many layers that already exist in the program is required for states to justify their spending for the program to access the federal dollars.”
States use these funds to fund child care subsidies — financial aid that helps families pay for child care — to boost the overall quality of child care across each state, according to Schmit.
“Our biggest hope is that there continues to be funding for child care and early education that is not disrupted,” Schmit said. “And that immigrant children and families are able to access care in ways that best meets their needs and is not driven by fear.”
