Every one of us has had to adjust our budgets, routines and attitudes as the coronavirus continues to disrupt our idea of normal.
But for the child care sector, these disruptions are particularly severe. 30% of respondents in a recent survey of over 6,000 child care providers across the US said their center would not survive a closure of more than two weeks without significant financial support. Across the country, 49% of surveyed child care centers are losing income due to the coronavirus.
In an effort to relieve the economic pressure caused by the coronavirus crisis, the federal government has just passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act. The primary focus of the $2 trillion relief package is to provide support to employers and businesses, but it also offers financial support for individuals left unemployed or otherwise affected by the pandemic.
Thankfully, the CARES Act includes specific support for the child care sector, promising much-needed relief to you and your center during these trying times. I’ve put together a breakdown of these provisions and how you can access relief funds, sourced directly from the text of the CARES Act, with additional clarifications and resources from the First Five Years Fund.
Let’s get into it.
State-mandated closures present a major financial challenge to the child care sector. Here’s how the CARES Act can help your business stay afloat.
The act:
Whether you’re a director or teacher, you’re likely already feeling the financial pressure of the pandemic. Here’s how the CARES Act supports you.
The act:
The relief measures within the CARE Act may depend on your state, as well as the size and status of your child care center. If you’re looking for additional support, you can look to local, community-driven coronavirus relief efforts.
The Giving Compass and the National Center for Family Philanthropy have put together a curated list of locally-based coronavirus relief funds to help connect you with the resources in your area. You can view these as a list, or access the map view to quickly find those nearest to you.
Do you have questions left unanswered? Explainer pieces or interviews you’d like to see?
Get in touch with me at ah@famly.co with your questions and I’ll do what I can to find the answers.
Please note: here at Famly we love sharing creative activities for you to try with the children at your setting, but you know them best. Take the time to consider adaptions you might need to make so these activities are accessible and developmentally appropriate for the children you work with. Just as you ordinarily would, conduct risk assessments for your children and your setting before undertaking new activities, and ensure you and your staff are following your own health and safety guidelines.