Summary: Experts Shine a Light on Solutions to the Childcare Crisis

Summary: Experts shine a light on solutions to the childcare crisis
By Krysten Crawford
April 23, 2026

The article summarizes a Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR) policy forum examining solutions to the rising cost of childcare, now a central component of the broader affordability crisis. New Mexico was highlighted as the first U.S. state to offer free childcare for all children under age five, while San Francisco was noted as the first city to provide free childcare for working families. With federal action stalled, state and local governments are leading reform efforts.

Speakers emphasized that successful childcare reform requires more than funding alone. New Mexico’s approach includes strong political will, coalition-building, the establishment of a cabinet-level early childhood department, and ongoing evaluation of outcomes, including enrollment, family stability, educator turnover, and child well-being. Leaders in California and San Francisco also stressed the importance of reducing administrative red tape, coordinating fragmented systems, securing sustainable funding, and improving wages for childcare workers.

The forum framed childcare as essential economic infrastructure that supports families, children, workers, and broader workforce participation. SIEPR plans to release a new model to help governments estimate the impacts of specific childcare reforms, including effects on labor force participation and provider earnings. Overall, the article underscores growing momentum in childcare reform and highlights how emerging state and local efforts can offer practical lessons for expanding access while maintaining quality.

Read the full article:
https://siepr.stanford.edu/news/child-care-affordability-crisis-siepr-shines-light-solutions

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