WashU Expert: American parents need comprehensive work-family policy

As the Trump administration considers redirecting federal childcare subsidies to married couples with a stay-at-home parent, Washington University in St. Louis sociologist Caitlyn Collins said the proposal misses a more fundamental problem: Millions of working parents still struggle to find affordable childcare.

“Expanding financial support for families is an important goal,” said Collins, an associate professor of sociology in WashU Arts & Sciences and author of the 2019 book “Making Motherhood Work: How Women Manage Careers and Caregiving” (Princeton University Press). 

“Unfortunately, this proposal does not meaningfully address the underlying challenges in the market — specifically, the lack of affordable childcare options — or reflect what parents say they need.”

Collins’ assessment is informed by more than two years of research with Chloe Gibbs, a senior economist at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. They have interviewed more than 75 parents about how they navigate the childcare system and what kinds of support would make it easier to manage work and family.

Parents consistently told the researchers that childcare is difficult to find and that existing options are too expensive. Many want to work but need more parental leave, flexible work arrangements and affordable, accessible childcare, Collins said.

“It’s not about ‘work-family balance,’ but rather ‘work-family justice,’” Collins said. “All parents should have the opportunity and power to participate fully in paid work and family care.”

“Every country that we consider our peer has public policies to help working parents survive and thrive. Shouldn’t we expect the same here in the United States, too? This is a crisis that transcends boundaries of race, class, region and religion.”

Cash transfer to married parents won’t help those who need it most

Vice President J.D. Vance’s reported proposal would redirect funds from the Child Care and Development Block Grant, a subsidy program created in the 1990s to help low-income and working-class families afford childcare so they’re able to work or pursue an education. Today, only 15% of eligible children receive care subsidies — and the majority of them have single parents.

“Vice President Vance’s proposed plan is great for married families who can choose to have one parent stay at home with their children, but it does not take into consideration the very urgent needs of many more working families who are scraping by and making desperate sacrifices to navigate work and childcare,” Collins said.

The broader childcare market faces challenges of both affordability and availability. Out-of-pocket expenses for parents using center-based care have more than doubled since 2019. The national average price of childcare in 2024 was $13,128, according to Child Care Aware of America. Collins and Gibbs found that families with Black and Hispanic children, infants and those living in the South and West are more likely to cite cost as the barrier.

Even families who can afford care may struggle to find an opening.

A comprehensive work-family policy is possible

‘By closing the gap between the cost of providing good childcare and what families can afford, the U.S. can relieve families’ stress, boost labor power and economic growth, and provide young children with access to the high-quality care they deserve.’

Caitlyn Collins

Collins and Gibbs argue that policymakers should address both sides of the problem: the cost families pay and the cost providers face to deliver high-quality care.

That means investing in the childcare workforce through better wages and working conditions, Collins said, as well as creating incentives for providers to open and operate in underserved communities.

The researchers also advocate for a robust national paid family leave policy.

“Almost every country in the world mandates some form of national paid family leave. The U.S. is the exception,” Collins said. “A paid family leave policy would allow families to make the best care decisions for their infants while also alleviating stress on the childcare system, since infant care is the most labor intensive, and therefore most expensive.”

Rather than diverting money from existing childcare subsidies, Collins and Gibbs said policymakers should expand funding so more families — particularly low-income families and those with children with special needs — can access affordable care. Collins’ previous research demonstrated that investing in programs such as Head Start helps families exit poverty and speeds economic growth.

“It’s a win-win-win. By closing the gap between the cost of providing good childcare and what families can afford, the U.S. can relieve families’ stress, boost labor power and economic growth, and provide young children with access to the high-quality care they deserve,” Collins said.