In Depth

The New America Care Report examines the cost, quality, and availability of child care across the United States.

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Contents

Overview

How the child care system in America became so broken—and what we need to do to fix it.

Explore the Care Index

The Care Index, a data and methodology collaboration between New America and Care.com, examines state cost, quality, and availability data.

Case Study: Care in Georgia

The state of Georgia understands the importance of early care—but not what to do with all its babies.

Case Study: Care in New Mexico

Many in New Mexico turn to the gray market of informal networks for child care.

Case Study: Care in Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, quality, accessible child care is difficult to purchase—and to provide.

Case Study: Care in Illinois

How a state budget crisis threw Illinois’s child care system into chaos.

Types of Care

Understanding the types of child care provided in the United States.

The Brain Science of Early Care

Human brains develop more in our earliest years than at any other point. We’re not creating child care accordingly.

The First Pillar of Care: Cost

Child care is so costly that it’s difficult to afford, but pays so poorly that it’s difficult to provide.

The Second Pillar of Care: Quality

Child care may be high in cost, but, too often, it’s just as low in quality.

The Third Pillar of Care: Availability

A good child care provider is often hard to find.

Policy Recommendations: Introduction

Why paid family leave, cash assistance, universal pre-K, and support for dual-language learners could improve early learning.

Policy Recommendation: Paid Family Leave

Every other “developed” country in the world has it, and to improve child care, the US needs paid leave, too.

Policy Recommendations: Cash Assistance

Cash assistance is one forward thinking program that might improve our backward facing child care system.

Policy Recommendations: Universal Pre-K

How we can build out existing care and education for all 3 and 4-year-olds, while also supporting the education and wellbeing of teachers.

Policy Recommendations: Dual Language Learners

Dual Language Learners present unique child care challenges—and opportunities.

Care Index Methodology, Limitations, and Acknowledgements

How we calculated cost, quality, and availability.