AP; Eligible Kids Are Waiting For Childcare Assistance

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Childcare costs are straining families. An analysis by The Associated Press found hundreds of thousands of kids who qualify for federal childcare subsidies are sitting on waitlists. The analysis showed eligible children waiting for aid in 23 states and the District of Columbia as of this spring. Funding shortfalls worsened after pandemic aid expired in 2024, causing waitlists to balloon. While they wait for childcare assistance, families face tough choices, with some parents sidelined from work or education. In Indiana, nearly 37,000 children were on the waitlist as of this spring. The state is using $200 million in surplus funds to help it move roughly 8,000 children off the waitlist.