Child Care Affordability Research 

Six Strategies to Help Families Access the Quality Care They Need to Work

In 2013, The Women’s Foundation of Colorado produced a comprehensive research report titled The Status of Women & Girls in Colorado. Throughout the research phase for that report, many questions and concerns about child care access and affordability were raised. In particular, single mothers were found to be struggling with the price of child care. As a direct result, The Women’s Foundation of Colorado provided a grant to Qualistar Colorado, in partnership with the Colorado Children's Campaign to investigate and address the barriers to affordable child care. 

Child care briefing #1

Release Date: June 10, 2014

The first brief investigates the affordability of care statewide and reports that working parents in Colorado pay widely different shares of their income on child care depending on their location.

Child care brief #1

Child care briefing #2

Release date: August 26, 2014

The second brief explores the affordability of care in Colorado compared to other states to better understand what is driving prices, including basic safeguards for children in child care centers and the average pay for child care workers. 

Child care brief #2

Child care briefing #3

Release date: December 4, 2014

After a year of investigation into the high price of child care in Colorado, the third report outlined six strategies to ensure more Colorado families can access the quality care they need to work and ensure kids have the stimulating experiences they need to learn and grow.

Child care brief #3

Read the full child care brief >

Read the executive summary >

For more information on our child care affordability research, please contact Alison Friedman Phillips, manager of programs, at alisonf@wfco.org.