Solutions to Delaware’s Child Care Crisis: What Can Delaware Learn from Other States?
Delaware families and employers agree that child care should be a priority for policymakers—it’s hard to find and afford for families, and it’s harming Delaware’s employers and our economy. Delaware can learn from other states and adapt solutions to meet Delaware’s needs—we identified the opportunities below and which policymakers can...
True Cost of Quality Early Learning Exceeds State Rate Twice Over
In 2021, Delaware committed to changing how it calculates payment rates for Purchase of Care, the state subsidy that helps cover child care tuition for low-income families—moving from the market rate to the “cost of care” methodology. The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) and the Department of Education (DOE) have been...
Two Children for Every Available Seat: Delaware’s Unmet Child Care Demand
Affordable, accessible child care is a foundational necessity for supporting families and the economy.
But statewide data has showed us that as many as 80 percent of Delaware parents and caregivers are holding back from advancing their careers, pursuing education, or buying a home because they cannot access or afford child care. What...
New Bills Target Child Safety
As we wrote in March, a handful of tragic incidents across the state have shone a spotlight on child safety and abuse risks at child care centers. Health and safety complaints to the Office of Child Care Licensing are up 30 percent over the last year, according to the Department of Education, which oversees child care licensing.
In...