The 2015 Child Care State Fact Sheets Highlight A Complex Early Care Landscape

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Child Care Aware® of America, the nation's leading voice in child care advocacy today announced the release of the 2015 State Fact Sheets, which profile child care indicators across all 50 states. This annual report compiles data from federal and national sources, as well as state Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR &R) agencies and other state agencies to assess the use, supply, and cost of child care, the child care workforce, and the services provided by CCR &Rs.

This year's fact sheets demonstrate the need for and use of quality child care as a nation, and highlights the complex and changing early care and education landscape; one inconsistent in programs provided, funding, regulations, and a fragmented child care workforce.

"Our fact sheets offer the child care advocacy community the opportunity to identify state issue areas that are critical to supporting working families in need of quality child care." said Lynette Fraga, Ph.D., executive director of Child Care Aware® of America.

Approximately 2.2 million individuals earn a living caring for children under age five. Despite the tremendous responsibilities and duties that go into caring for young children, the average income for a full-time child care professional in 2014 was only $21,710.

The 2015 State Fact Sheets provide data critical to child care and early education advocates, policymakers, and program administrators. The fact sheets can help the child care stakeholder community with the necessary data to better understand the challenges that America's working families face as they strive to provide their children with care that is safe, healthy, and promotes quality learning and development.

Although child care in America can be hard to find and difficult to afford for working families, some progress has been made. In November 2014, President Barack Obama signed S.1086, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 into law. The new law includes several measures focused on health, safety and quality.

The fact sheets will be used to guide decisions around child care programs and expenditures at the state level.

For more information on the CCDBG program that serves approximately 1.45 million children across the country, visit the Child Care Aware® of America CCDBG Implementation Station: http://usa.childcareaware.org/ccdbg.

To download a copy of the 2015 State Fact Sheets, visit http://usa.childcareaware.org/statefactsheets.