Federal childcare funding to come to an end

Federal funding for childcare will come to a stop at the end of September, which could be detrimental for many childcare facilities.

The topic of childcare being affordable and accessible has been an ongoing issue in Riverside County already.

During the pandemic, federal funding was put in place to help childcare facilities stay afloat and help offset costs across the country.

On September 30, the funding will expire which could mean the cost of childcare in some facilities will go up, some won't be able to enroll as many children as before, or some facilities will be put in danger of closing.

In March 2022, Riverside County's First Five conducted a study to determine the landscape of childcare in the county. The findings revealed there were 1,251 facilities countywide with active or pending licenses for children. The study estimated there needed to be 2,253 additional facilities to meet the needs of its families. $3.1 billion was needed to meet this gap.

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With the end of this funding, childcare facilities are going to be forced to make ends meet themselves.