Georgia’s Working Families Need Early Care and Education

There are approximately 765,000 children under age 6 in Georgia, and 70 percent of these children have all available parents in the workforce. Parents need early care and education (ECE) so they can go to work, remain productive, and build successful careers to support their families. Children depend on nurturing, stimulating environments, at home and in ECE, during the critical early years of brain development. Research demonstrates the benefits of high-quality ECE for children’s academic, social, emotional, and physical development. Long-term, these positive outcomes contribute to public safety, national security, and a strong economy.

Yet, many Georgia families do not have the ECE they need, particularly families with infants and toddlers. Challenges around access, affordability, and quality plague the ECE system. The Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program helps Georgia’s working families with low incomes afford child care. However, investments in CAPS fall far short of the need, with only 14 percent of eligible children served.

Given these challenges, Georgia policymakers must support early care and education for working families. Policymakers must increase investments in the CAPS program and sustain investments in Georgia’s Pre-K program. Support for high-quality early care and education is an investment in our future public safety, national security, and economic well-being.