Single parents have been disproportionately affected by record high waitlists for child care assistance across the country, as I reported this week for Hechinger and The 19th. About 80 percent of subsidy recipients are single parents. Several of these (mostly) mothers told me about missing out not only on work, but promotions and basic financial and food security as a result of the long delays in accessing the assistance.
Long Waitlists for Child Care Subsidies
Single mothers like Bonnie Albrecht, Edythe Smith, and Barbara Aranda have struggled to access child care assistance. Albrecht, a Texas mother, spent nearly two years on a waitlist, handling a bureaucratic process that required seven pay stubs and countless phone calls. Smith, from Syracuse, New York, juggled full-time work with full-time caregiving for her infant daughter while awaiting aid. Aranda, in Austin, frequently called out of work, leading to lost income and reliance on food pantries to feed her three children. These women spent at least a year on waitlists, facing financial hardships and job insecurity. These delays have led to missed work opportunities, promotions, and food insecurity for many, highlighting the urgent need for accessible child care.
The current system, which primarily supports low- and moderate-income working families, is already strained. With record-high waitlists, single parents are disproportionately affected, often forced to choose between work and caregiving. Earlier this year, 40 Republicans in Congress advocated for “robust” funding of the program, although that push was unsuccessful, leaving the system underfunded and overwhelmed.
Trump Proposal: A Shift in Focus
U.S. Vice President JD Vance proposes redirecting funds to stay-at-home parents in married households, requiring one spouse to work 35 hours a week. Vance criticizes universal child care as favoring affluent lifestyles over family values, stating on X that “normal Americans care more about their families than their jobs, and want a family policy that doesn’t shunt their kids into crap daycare so they can enjoy more ‘freedom’ in the paid labor force.”
However, Republicans are divided on this issue. While some advocate for robust funding of the existing program, others, like the Advancing American Freedom group, founded by former Vice President Mike Pence, oppose Vance’s plan. They argue it punishes work and intrudes on family sanctity, reflecting broader ideological disagreements within the party.
Impact and Uncertainty
Experts doubt that Vance’s plan will ever take effect. But the idea is serving as a serious distraction at a time when waitlists continue to grow in many states, leaving countless parents — especially women — shut out of the workforce. This story about child care subsidies was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for the Hechinger newsletter.
