Affordability is a Barrier to Child Care for Low Income Hispanic Households

The National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families recently released new findings that emphasize the issue of child care costs for low-income Hispanic families and the barriers they face when seeking quality providers for their young children. Even though parents in Hispanic households tend to be fully employed, their income does not cover the cost of child care. 

There are many contributing factors that reduce access to care for these families, including a lack of awareness of options, finding providers that are reliable and high-quality, and finding programs that are affordable. These difficult situations are also complicated by the fact that Hispanic parents living in poverty are far less likely than White and Black parents in similar economic circumstances to have family nearby to help with young children. 

Approximately 6 in 10 low-income Hispanic households benefit from public investments in child care, meaning they make no out of pocket payments. However, those who aren’t able to access these programs may end up spending up to a fourth of their household income on child care, or about $100/week.

Families who utilize local programs with no out-of-pocket cost are more likely to have consistent care and require fewer providers. Access to affordable, reliable, and high-quality early learning and care opportunities provides working families with better job stability and overall economic security. Quality early learning and care also has proven social, emotional, and academic benefits to children. To read more about this study, click here.