Changes Ahead for Child Care? Examining Potential Shifts in Federal Policy and Funding

October 6, 2026
Changes Ahead for Child Care? Examining Potential Shifts in Federal Policy and Funding

This week’s GLR Learning Tuesdays session featured an expert panel moderated by Jessica Sager of All Our Kin. Mario Cardona of EducationCounsel, Amanda Guarino of First Five Years Fund, Lee Johnson III, Ph.D., CHES®, of Southern Education Foundation, and Katharine B. Stevens, Ph.D., of Center on Child and Family Policy helped us to make sense of the current policy landscape for early learning and care — examining what has changed, what could change, and what has not changed. As panelists noted, just this year there have been three regulatory actions related to Head Start and two related to child care — an unusual number of shifts in a short period of time. The panel also reviewed federal actions related to the Head Start Program and to Child Care and Development Block Grants, including their distinct purposes, eligibility criteria, programmatic requirements, and areas for state flexibility. Changes to these aspects of federal funding alter the way the programs operate, which has acute impacts on children and families. And yet, these federal programs and funding streams are a single slice of how Americans access and pay for quality child care.  

In this federal regulatory context, panelists turned to parent and family perspectives on child care issues. Across data sources, it is clear that parents want and prefer a range of options for child care, including kin, family, home-based, and group care. But the reality of child care is more complex. For example, new research focused on parents in Southern rural communities highlights constraints related to cost, availability, travel time, and a lack of options during nontraditional work hours. Panelists also shared polling that indicates that the majority of likely voters support parents choosing the care they want, and that greater federal funding for child care would help mitigate challenges with the supply and cost of quality care. As the aperture of the discussion opened, so did the passions and policy ideas that intersect with revenue, tax, new cost models, and home-grown care models.