More Than Half Of CT Parents Say Child Care Costs Too Much, Survey Finds

• A new survey found most Connecticut parents consider child care unaffordable, with many also struggling to access care at all

• Comptroller Sean Scanlon pointed to the state’s new Early Childhood Education Endowment as the response to rising costs

• The endowment has drawn hundreds of millions in state investment, with income-based relief for families set to begin in 2027

More than half of Connecticut parents said child care costs too much, according to a new survey from the University of Connecticut and the state Office of Early Childhood, underscoring the stakes for the state’s new child care endowment.

The survey, which polled more than 3,700 parents and caregivers, found 53% of respondents said child care was too expensive. About 30% reported trouble finding care or being placed on a waitlist, and 35% said their current child care arrangement did not meet their family’s needs.

More than two-thirds of respondents in one region of Northeastern Connecticut said they were struggling to find care or were on waitlists.

Families with toddlers were more likely to experience access issues. Lower-income families were more likely to report issues with accessing and affording care for their children.

State Comptroller Sean Scanlon said that as the parent of two young children himself, he knows child care in Connecticut is unaffordable for working families.

“The goal of the new Connecticut Early Childhood Education Endowment is to make it affordable, and this continuing survey will help track our progress when it comes to the important mission of lowering child care costs for families in our state,” said Scanlon.

The endowment, first passed in 2025, has received more than $700 million in state investment over the past two years, according to the governor’s office. The fund is intended to support child care facilities and their workers as the state works to expand access and bring down costs.

Beginning in July 2027, eligible families earning up to $100,000 a year are expected to gain access to no-cost child care under the endowment, while those earning above that threshold are expected to see child care costs capped at 7% of household income.

By Joe O’Leary