About Us
Childcare Access
Addressing the Texas Childcare Crisis
Texas women are powering our economy — but too many are doing it without access to affordable, reliable child care. When mothers and caregivers cannot access dependable child care, they are often forced to reduce work hours, leave the workforce entirely, or make impossible financial decisions just to keep their families afloat. Businesses lose talent. Communities lose economic stability. And Texas loses opportunities for growth.
Childcare Fuels Texas' Economy
A strong Texas economy depends on women being able to participate fully in the workforce. Yet the cost of care remains one of the biggest barriers facing working families.
- In Texas, center-based infant care costs over $11,000 per year.
- In Dallas County, centerbased infant care consumes approximately 12.5 percent of median family income.
- A minimum wage earner in Texas would have to work full time for 37 weeks just to afford care for one infant.
- The limited availability of infant, toddler, after-school, and summer care creates year-round employment instability for working families. The Buffet Early Childhood Institute projects that ongoing childcare shortages, left unaddressed, could result in a $5.5 billion – $8.3 billion long-term economic impact across the state.
- Based on average annual earnings, Dallas County foregoes an estimated $1.63 billion in direct earnings associated with mothers who do not participate in the workforce.
- Targeted reductions in childcare costs, ranging from $100 – $400 per month, could support 1,700 to nearly 7,900 additional working mothers and generate between $65
million to $260 million in annual regional economic activity.
At the same time, the need continues to grow as more women enter and remain in the workforce.
Invest in Texas Families
Women cannot succeed in the workforce without the support systems that make work possible.
Child care is essential infrastructure for a thriving Texas.
Join Texas Women’s Foundation in building a future where women and families can achieve economic stability, security and success.
Give today to the Childcare Access Fund.