As many Americans voted last week, the economy was a central concern, yet President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign offered limited details on proposals for childcare. In California, families already face high costs for early childhood care, with some spending nearly $20,000 on infant care in 2021.
Donna Sneeringer, Chief Strategy Officer at the Child Care Resource Center, which supports families in Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties, emphasized the importance of affordable childcare. “Child care is essential for the economy and for people’s ability to work,” she said.
Head Start Program Under Threat
One major concern for early childhood care in Southern California is the future of the Head Start program, which provides early education for low-income families. Although Trump has distanced himself from Project 2025, a proposal by his former administration, the plan suggests eliminating Head Start.
Currently, more than 51,000 children in California are enrolled in Head Start, with an additional 27,000 in Early Head Start, which serves children up to age 3. Nina Buthee, Executive Director of EveryChild California, warned that losing these programs would hurt families, as they offer much more than childcare. “Head Start provides parent engagement, training, nutritional support, and mental health services,” she explained.
In 2019, Trump proposed a 25% cut to Head Start funding over ten years, but Congress rejected the idea and instead increased funding to the program.
Other Childcare Subsidies at Risk
California also funds several subsidized childcare programs, which help families earning up to 85% of the state’s median income ($104,544 for a family of four). These programs are supported by federal funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act. Under Trump’s first term, the administration proposed cutting this funding by $95 million, though Congress increased the budget instead.
Despite federal uncertainty, Sneeringer remains optimistic that California will continue to invest in early childhood education.
Child Tax Credits and Paid Family Leave
In terms of financial support for families, Senator J.D. Vance has pushed to increase the child tax credit from $2,000 to $5,000. However, Vance was absent from a bipartisan push to expand the tax credit earlier this year. During the pandemic, an increase in the child tax credit helped reduce child poverty.
On paid family leave, Trump signed a bill in 2019 that provided paid leave for federal workers. While the U.S. does not have a national paid family leave program, California has a longstanding state program that offers birthing parents up to 19 weeks of paid leave. Starting in January, the state will increase benefits, with workers earning up to $60,000 receiving 90% of their income while on leave.
As President Trump’s second term begins, many California families are wondering what changes could come to early childhood care, with mixed signals on federal support for essential programs.
Related topics: