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Child Care

Affordable, dependable child care allows children to thrive, parents to get to work or school, and employers to find and retain workers. But for too many Minnesota families, child care is out of reach due to high costs and long waiting lists for child care assistance.

Our analysis and advocacy focuses on expanding Minnesota's child care assistance so that parents can find the child care that meets their needs, children are in safe, reliable care, and to strengthen Minnesota's workforce.

Research

August 2005

The FY 2006-07 budget: Impact on working families and individuals

July 2005

The FY 2006-07 budget: Impact on children & youth

March 2005

President Bush's budget would harm Minnesotans

June 2004

"Do-Nothing" session mixed blessing for health and human services

Child Care Blog Posts

April 17, 2024

Powerful stories show child care is unaffordable for many; Great Start Scholarships are a solution

This legislative session, families, lawmakers, advocates, and more have drawn attention to child care affordability as an urgent problem that requires solutions. Earlier this session, a hearing was held at the Minnesota House of Representatives where a number of testifiers spoke to the struggles with affordability they face. Parents and providers alike are looking for policy solutions; here are a few of their stories.

May 11, 2023

Cooperation paves the way for important investments in affordable child care

With a historic surplus of $17.5 billion for FY 2024-25 and $5.4 billion structural balance for FY 2026-27 , Minnesota...

February 01, 2023

Governor Walz releases FY 2024-25 budget priorities

In his proposal for the two-year FY 2024-25 budget cycle, Governor Tim Walz proposes $11.2 billion in additional funding for public services, with the largest amount of new dollars going toward education, economic development, and health and human services. He also proposes $5.4 billion in tax reductions in FY 2024-25, with the biggest component being a one-time tax rebate. Read more in our blog.

May 04, 2022

Minnesota should do more to support families and child care providers

We take a look at the Minnesota House’s proposed improvements to child care, and the actions policymakers should take this year to support Minnesota families and the “workforce behind the workforce” that allows parents to succeed at work, employers to find the workers they need, and kids to thrive.

Our Child Care Policy Work

issues > child care spotlight

Making affordable child care available to families

We support policies to ensure that more Minnesota families have affordable, reliable child care that meets their needs and supports their pathways to economic security. The final budget agreed to by Governor Tim Walz and the 2019 Minnesota Legislature includes important steps to bring child care assistance in Minnesota up to federal standards, which will make child care assistance work better for families experiencing homelessness and ensure families moving to another county don't lose their assistance.

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Issues