Child Care at a Crossroads: COVID pandemic exacerbated decline in DC-area child care facilities

The number of child care providers, especially in-home child care providers, was on a steady decline before the pandemic. But the pandemic only exacerbated the problem, driving some out of business while dissuading others from starting new child care businesses, since no one wanted extra people inside their homes. In 2021, the federal government set aside $24 billion in stabilization funding to help keep child care providers in business.