SPRINGFIELD< Mass. (WWLP) – The pandemic-era childcare funding Congress allocated during the pandemic is set to expire at the end of the month.
More than 70,000 thousand childcare providers across the United States who benefited are likely to close as a result of this lost funding, and an estimated 3.2 million kids are expected to lose their childcare spots.
Over the last two years, the United States has provided federal funding for childcare providers.
The $24 billion in pandemic relief has been the largest investment in child care in U.S. history. Now that is set to expire at the end of the month.
In Massachusetts, just over 58,000 children are set to lose their care, with more than 1,800 childcare providers at risk of closing due to lack of funding if the state does not take legislative action.
If the state is not able to establish the necessary funding parents in the state could lose out on earnings, childcare jobs will disappear and these facilities will have to raise their prices, and children who are not able to secure a spot will lose out on both the education and nutrition received at school.
Melissa Torres is a reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since 2021. Follow Melissa on X @melissatorrestv and view her bio to see more of her work.
