For a child, the first five years last forever.
Hot on the Hill: FY26 Appropriations
Happening now! Congress has until January 30 to pass new legislation to pass full-year spending bills for FY26, including funding for child care and early learning programs. Learn what’s at stake and how you can take action.
FFYF Briefing Room: Safeguarding Access to Affordable Child Care
The federal child care program already includes strong safeguards. Any additional oversight or necessary corrective action should be swift, targeted, and proportional, while ensuring that eligible families and children continue to receive the support they need.
POLLING: Rural Voters on Child Care and Head Start
Rural Parents have been hit particularly hard by child care challenges, with a significant number saying they’re having trouble finding work, are cutting back on basic necessities, and are putting off growing their families due to a lack of affordable options that meet their family’s needs. In a new poll from First Five Years Fund, Rural Americans say money is tight, and child care is a significant part of that burden.
Latest News
& Resources
STATEMENT: FY2026 Funding Bill Boosts Federal Investment in Child Care and Early Learning
This morning, the House of Representatives released a Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations package that includes funding increases for federal early learning and care programs. The FY2026 …
Funding for Key Early Learning Programs, FY2026
Each year, Congress determines funding levels for all of the federal defense and non-defense discretionary programs, including those that support the care and education of children from birth through age …
HEARING: House Education and Workforce Subcommittee Hearing Highlights Importance of Child Care for Employers, Families, and Our Economy
The House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing on January 13, 2026 to highlight the role employers can play in supporting access …
