Poll: Voters, Small Businesses Agree Child Care is an Economic Imperative and Congress Must Act

The First Five Years Fund (FFYF) released the findings of two new polls conducted immediately following the 2022 midterm elections by the bipartisan team of Hart Research Associates and New Bridge Strategy. The surveys found that voters and small business owners across the political spectrum overwhelmingly endorse federal government action on child care and agree that the national shortage of affordable child care programs is doing significant harm to families’ finances, businesses’ bottom lines, and the U.S. economy broadly.

Some of the key poll findings include:

• Voters and small business leaders overwhelmingly support the federal government taking action on child care. 74% of both voters and small business leaders say that federal funding for child care and early learning programs should be increased.
• And more than 80% of voters and business owners support a federal proposal to expand funding to states to increase child care options. Notably, 84% of voters say it would be acceptable for a proposal like this to increase the federal deficit in the short run if it paid for itself in the long run, including 84% of swing voters and 70% of Republicans.
• Voters and small business owners agree access to child care is central to strengthening the U.S. economy and supporting workers.
• Voters are dismayed Congress has not acted, and there is broad desire for President Biden and Congress to work together to expand affordable child care options.
• Business owners across the political spectrum agree that the national shortage of affordable child care programs is doing significant harm to families’ finances, businesses’ bottom lines, and the U.S. economy broadly.
• 86% of voters agree that improving the quality of child care and early learning programs and making them more affordable for families are a good investment of taxpayers’ money, including 76% of Republicans, 86% of swing voters, and 87% of suburban women.
• One in three small businesses report multiple child care-rooted workforce problems in the past 12 months.