The day after Edythe Smith gave birth, she received troubling news. State funding for a child care assistance program aimed at helping low and moderate-income families had been frozen in Syracuse, New York, her hometown.
Smith, a single mother and full-time auto claims insurance adjuster working from home, faced the challenge of balancing work with caring for her increasingly curious baby when her maternity leave ended.
“It’s super disruptive to my job,” she said, as her daughter grew more active, making it difficult to maintain focus during work calls.
“It’s really hard to excel at your job or find opportunities for promotion when your whole life is revolving around” a baby, Smith said.
Families nationwide share similar struggles. The number of children on state child care subsidy waitlists nearly doubled from early 2024 to early 2025, according to a May report by the National Women’s Law Center. This increase is the largest since the nonprofit began tracking two decades ago.
An Associated Press analysis found hundreds of thousands of children on waitlists in 23 states and Washington, D.C. In Georgia, New Jersey, and South Carolina, some families were denied assistance due to enrollment freezes.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant, a nearly 40-year-old federal program, provides around $12 billion annually, supplemented by $4 billion from state and other sources. This funding is distributed through vouchers or direct subsidies to providers.
The record waitlists force families to resort to unregulated providers or suboptimal babysitters, leaving cash-strapped parents dependent on food banks. Many women struggle to maintain jobs, hindering workforce participation amid rising costs.
Congress allocated $28 billion in emergency funding starting in 2020, but this expired in fall 2024. Some states increased funding, yet demand continues to grow. Many centers no longer accept subsidies, as they don’t cover care costs.
“There’s fewer resources and more need,” said Karen Schulman, senior director of state child care policy at the National Women’s Law Center.
The Trump administration, led by Vice President JD Vance, plans to redirect funds to married couples with a stay-at-home parent, according to The New York Times report. Without increased funding, advocates warn waitlists will grow longer.
In interviews with mothers from four states, many described challenges of balancing work with life on child care waitlists. A Texas mother delayed returning to work for years, while another feared job loss due to frequent absences.
“At a time when families need to bring in income because they have formula and diapers to pay for, they can’t work,” said Beth Messersmith of MomsRising North Carolina.
Smith expected her income to qualify her for a subsidy, but waitlists meant she had to work from home while caring for her mobile daughter. “I could have looked for uncertified daycare opportunities where you pay someone very little,” she said.
Smith worked long hours to manage both responsibilities, extending her workday from 7 a.m. to midnight. “During her nap time I’m like a bat out of hell trying to get as much done as I possibly can,” she said.
When Amie Stevens signed up for child care assistance in 2023, she anticipated returning to her career as a massage therapist soon. Her daughter was 5 months old, but getting off the waitlist took 2 1/2 years.
The family relied on Stevens’ partner’s income, but it wasn’t enough. They used food stamps and sought financial help from her parents. Stevens took parenting classes to qualify for free diapers.
Finally, a property tax increase raised funds for child care, allowing Stevens to find a part-time job and maintain the subsidy.
For Barbara Aranda in Austin, staying out of the workforce wasn’t an option. She relied on babysitters but often had to miss work, impacting her income.
When her daughter Mackenzie, now 3, finally came off the waitlist, Aranda’s work life improved. However, she still faces debt from years of waiting for a subsidy.
“If not for the wait, I would be in a different place financially now,” she said.
In Syracuse, Smith received good news in June. An influx of state funding cleared the voucher waitlist, allowing her daughter Judy to start child care in July.
Smith no longer feels overwhelmed, and her daughter thrives in care. Yet, she’s still catching up on work, estimating it will take a year to recover from the time lost on the waitlist.
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