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Child Care: Subsidy Eligibility and Receipt, and Wait Lists

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Report Type Reports and Testimonies
Report Date Feb. 18, 2021
Release Date Feb. 18, 2021
Report No. GAO-21-245R
Summary:

A federal fund gives subsidies to low-income families to pay for child care while parents work or attend school. Here's some information we found about the fund:

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, fewer families qualify for subsidies under state rules because most states set stricter income limits than the federal max

Lower-income families with preschoolers got the most subsidies

Some states use wait lists to manage caseloads, but it's hard to maintain the lists

Some states reported higher child care costs as more families sought full-day care for older kids due to school closings and other effects of COVID-19

Graphic showing the number of children eligible for subsidies under federal and state rules and the number who actually received them.

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