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in the nation’s interest to the central challenges we face in order to provide prosperity for all Americans.  \nEarly Care and Education as an Economic Engine  \nStrengthening America’s Labor Market and Securing the Future  \nAccess to high-quality early care and education (ECE) is foundational for child development and a key determinant of parents’ ability to participate in the workforce, attain additional education and training, and advance their careers. The ECE sector is also a significant driver of economic activity, directly and indirectly. Taken together, a strong ECE system serves as a critical economic engine, supporting children and families, employers, and long-term economic growth.  \nTrusted Insights for What’s Ahead®  \n• Access to ECE is essential for healthy child development and parents’ workforce participation, yet availability and affordability challenges continue to limit opportunities for millions of families. In 2023, the average annual cost of child care was $11,582,1 exceeding the annual tuition average for public colleges and universities in the US.  \n• Child care issues significantly impact the workforce. In May 2025, 1.4 million part-time workers attributed reduced working hours to problems with securing reliable, affordable child care.  \n• ECE delivers a substantial positive economic impact, yielding strong returns on investment by improving educational and lifetime outcomes for children and driving long-term economic growth.  \nRecommendations  \nExpanding ECE access requires multipronged solutions and public-private partnerships to strengthen the infrastructure and ensure stability for families, employers, and the broader economy. Stakeholders at the federal, state, and local level should:  \nPreserve and strengthen federal and state investments that expand ECE access.  \nIntegrate ECE resources into economic and workforce development strategies.  \nExpand innovative public-private partnerships and encourage employer involvement.  \nStabilize and bolster the child care sector by strengthening the ECE workforce and upholding quality standards.  \nChild Care Access and the US Economy  \nIn America, millions of families rely on ECE as a lifeline. Access enables parents, especially  \nmothers, to actively participate in the workforce, attain additional education, support  \ntheir households, and contribute to the economy. Quality ECE also provides children with  \nvaluable early learning experiences that are foundational to their educational careers  \nand long-term success. Additionally, the ECE sector is a significant economic contributor  \nthrough its direct workforce as well as broader economic activity and spillover effects.  \nAltogether, ECE is an economic engine and a public good.  \nPrior to the pandemic, nearly 63% of Americans participated in the workforce. The  \nCOVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted employment, particularly for women with  \nchildren, and laid bare the interconnectedness between access to care and the partici  \npation and productivity of parents in the workforce. Although the labor force has made progress toward recovery, challenges for working parents persist. In 2023, about 10.1% of young children lived in households where a parent faced significant job disruption due to child care issues. In May 2025, 1.4 million part-time workers attributed reduced working hours to problems with securing reliable, affordable child care. These findings highlight the ongoing need for accessible and affordable early care options to provide stability for  \nfamilies, employers, and the broader economy.  \nAs a two-generation support, high-quality ECE experiences not only enable parents  \nto work but also yield both immediate and long-term positive impacts for children.  \nQuality early learning settings promote healthy child development, facilitate enriching  \nsocial experiences, and can offer developmentally appr","cbCait7huUZhKZCL","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCait7huUZhKZCL","pdf",407288,"English","# Early Care and Education as an Economic Engine\n## Access and Workforce Participation\n## Economic Impact of the ECE Sector\n## Barriers to Access\n## Recommendations","[{\"question\":\"Why is early care and education described as an economic engine?\",\"answer\":\"ECE access supports child development and enables parents to participate in the workforce, which in turn contributes to long-term economic growth and broader economic activity.\"},{\"question\":\"What barriers limit families’ access to ECE?\",\"answer\":\"The brief highlights availability and affordability challenges, with price pressures significant enough to limit opportunities for millions of families.\"},{\"question\":\"What recommendations are proposed to expand ECE access?\",\"answer\":\"The brief calls for preserving and strengthening federal and state investments, integrating ECE resources into workforce and economic strategies, expanding public-private partnerships with employer involvement, and stabilizing the child care sector through a stronger ECE workforce and quality standards.\"}]","SOLUTIONS - BRIEFS - SUSTAINING CAPITALISM - Early Care and Education as an Economic Engine | PDF",1792050189,25]