Child care remains utterly unaffordable and out of reach for many families, but increasingly — while years-long waitlists certainly still exist for some programs — many child care providers are struggling with underenrollment. For instance, KinderCare, the nation’s largest private child care provider, stated on a recent earnings call that enrollment was down around 2% year-over-year. These findings suggest that fewer families are utilizing licensed child care programs, which may result in open slots. A recent survey of New York City parents from Columbia’s Center on Poverty and Social Policy found that 16% of respondents had cut back on child care hours or stopped using child care altogether due to cost; the number rose to 34% among single moms. There are now two simultaneous truths about American child care: Families struggle to find child care, often facing long waitlists, while many child care centers sit partially empty.

Source: Washington Post February 12, 2026 13:33 UTC