NAEYC Urges Congress to Give Mothers the Gift of High-Quality
Child Care on Mother’s Day

WASHINGTON—This Mother’s Day the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) calls on the U.S. Congress to give all mothers the gift they really need—not flowers or cards, but the gift of high-quality, affordable early childhood education for their children.

With 64.9 percent of mothers with children under age 6 in the labor force, the need for affordable child care has never been greater. Child care is a critical support that working mothers need to maintain their families’ economic stability. Furthermore, research shows that investments in early childhood education help America to prosper and reach its potential, reaping benefits that include a more skilled workforce, reduced health care costs, and increased economic growth.

But with the exception of one-time funds from the 2009 Recovery Act, core federal early childhood education programs have received small, if any, increased investments in recent years. In these tough economic times, the need for robust funding is as important as ever, as the unmet needs of children and families continue to be great:

• Only 1 in 6 eligible children receives child care assistance;
• Less than half of all eligible preschoolers can enroll in Head Start; and
• Less than 4 percent of eligible babies and toddlers can enroll in Early Head Start.

“Working mothers need the security of affordable, safe, and nurturing child care for their children. Children deserve access to high-quality early learning experiences that support their development and prepare them for success in school and life,” said Jerlean E. Daniel, PhD, Executive Director of NAEYC. “Congress should mark this Mother’s Day by increasing investments in child care and other early childhood programs.”

To read NAEYC’s federal budget recommendations to Congress, visit our website.