Childcare Stability Block Act

Purpose:
To stabilize and expand access to affordable, flexible childcare for working families across America by providing targeted block grants to states, with minimal federal interference, maximum local control, and a focus on sustaining small, community-based childcare providers.

The Problem:

Many working- and middle-class parents—especially mothers—struggle to find reliable, affordable childcare. Rising costs, limited availability, and the closure of thousands of small childcare centers since 2020 have created a childcare crisis that prevents many families from re-entering or staying in the workforce.

Key challenges:

• Skyrocketing childcare costs (often higher than rent or college tuition).

• Long waitlists at licensed childcare centers, especially in urban and rural areas.

• Collapse of neighborhood-based providers due to burdensome regulations and low margins.

• Lack of care for non-traditional work hours (evenings, weekends, early mornings).

The Solution: Childcare Stability Block Act

A federal-to-state block grant program designed to stabilize, modernize, and diversify the childcare landscape—without overreach, federal mandates, or new entitlement programs.

1. Stabilization Grants to Preserve Local Childcare Providers

• States receive annual block grants based on population and childcare need.

• Funds may be used to:

  • Support licensed neighborhood and in-home providers at risk of closure.

  • Offer temporary payroll support or capital grants to help stabilize operations.

  • Modernize facilities for safety and compliance upgrades.

2. Innovation Funds for Flexible Childcare Models

• Incentivize:

  • Faith-based childcare centers and church-run daycares.

  • Extended hour providers serving shift workers.

  • Parent co-ops and pod-style care models.

  • Employer-sponsored or workplace daycare programs.

• States may offer matching grants or direct startup funding with local business partnerships.

3. Priority Access for Working-Class Families

• States must demonstrate how the funds prioritize care for:

  • Essential workers, low-to-middle-income families, and single parents.

  • Rural and urban "childcare deserts."

  • Parents pursuing education or reentering the workforce.

4. Regulation Review Incentive

• Bonus funds for states that audit and reduce outdated childcare regulations that stifle small provider growth without improving safety.

• Encourages streamlined licensing for micro-centers and community providers.

How It Works:

• Administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in partnership with state agencies.

• Annual reporting requirements ensure transparency, without micromanaging use of funds.

• States retain full control over implementation, provider qualification, and community engagement.

Why It Matters (KPIs):

• Prevent the closure of 10,000+ small providers in the next 5 years.

• Lower average childcare costs by 15–20% in participating states.

• Increase availability of childcare slots, especially in underserved zip codes.

• Enable 500,000+ parents to return to the workforce by 2030.

Maxwell’s Rationale:

• Empowers local providers instead of expanding federal bureaucracy.

• Supports parents who work, not just government-run care models.

• Stabilizes the economy by keeping parents in the workforce and small childcare businesses open.

• Respects state and community values, with no mandates around curriculum, gender ideology, or federal control of early education programs.

The Childcare Stability Block Act is a commonsense, conservative approach to keeping parents working and children cared for—with freedom, dignity, and local control at its core.