Summary Fact Sheet

This brief provides in-depth analysis of national trends and 50-state data for spending and participation in CCDBG-and TANF-funded child care programs during the federal fiscal year (FY) 2014. The brief finds overall federal and state spending for child care assistance and participation in CCDBG-funded child care at historically low levels. Expenditures in CCDBG and TANF combined have been near flat since 2012. The number of children served in CCDBG has been steadily declining since 2010.  

Key findings include:

• Child care assistance spending is at a 12-year low. Total combined spending on child care assistance (including CCDBG and TANF funds) fell to $11.3 billion, a decline of $103 million from the previous year and the lowest level of spending since 2002.
• The number of children receiving CCDBG –funded child care assistance is at a 16-year low. Approximately 1.4 million children received CCDBG-funded child care in an average month in 2014, the smallest number of children served by the program since 1998. From 2006 to 2014, nearly 364,000 fewer children received CCDBG-funded child care.
• Significant investments are needed to implement the bipartisan CCDBG reauthorization without further reducing access to child care subsidies. CLASP estimates that an additional $1.2 billion is needed in FY 2017 to implement the reauthorization and maintain current caseloads.