Infant and Toddler Child Care Deserts

By Steven Jessen-Howard, Rasheed Malik, Simon Workman, and Katie Hamm

Two-thirds of children have all available parents in the workforce, making child care a necessity for millions. For families of infants and toddlers, child care can be especially difficult to find and afford. A lack of child care causes many families to make career sacrifices or place their child in less reliable child care settings. This study quantifies the extent of this problem by analyzing infant and toddler child care deserts in nine states and the District of Columbia. The study finds that in the states examined, there are over 5 infants and toddlers for each licensed child care slot. The shortage is even worse in rural and less affluent areas. Given the critical importance of the first years of life, it is crucial that federal and state elected officials focus on the needs of infants and toddlers. First and foremost, this should include increasing current child care investments to match the higher cost of providing care for infants and toddlers. Furthermore, policymakers should implement a comprehensive solution that ensures that working families can afford licensed child care, addresses the underpaid child care workforce, expands child care infrastructure, and guarantees that families can take the time they need to be with their newborns. Every family should be able to access affordable licensed child care, regardless of the county they live in or the age of their child.