Today the New Jersey State Policy Lab has published a new literature review and policy recommendations for improving the accessibility and affordability of childcare services for New Jersey families. This research, entitled “How Can the Government Improve New Jersey Families’ Access to Childcare?” was authored by Jocelyn Fischer and Debra Lancaster and part of an ongoing collaboration with the Center for Women at Work at Rutgers University.

Childcare is a substantial financial burden for many families in the U.S., in particular for low-income families with infants or toddlers, who on average spend approximately 30% of their household income on childcare expenditures. Lancaster and Fischer examined existing childcare policies across the country and provide an informed menu of policy options for state and local governments to improve the accessibility and affordability of childcare in their communities.

“Overall, subsidies, tax credits, tax deductions, publicly provided childcare, and paid family leave are all options that have the potential to increase the affordability of and access to childcare,” concludes Debra Lancaster, co-author and Executive Director of the Center for Women and Work at the Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations. “However, careful design and implementation of such policies are required to maximize outcomes.”

Read the full review here: Literature Review & Policy Menu: How Can the Government Improve New Jersey Families’ Access to Childcare? – New Jersey State Policy Lab (rutgers.edu)