Lack of Adequate and Affordable forLow-Income Families in Wichita, Kansas

The demand for good-quality and affordable child care has increased in the wake of welfare reform, as many low-income families have entered the workforce and confronted difficulties arranging, paying for and sustaining the continuity of child care. Infant-toddler child care is scarce in most communities across the state, particularly in low-income communities. It is also expensive. Even with the increased availability of child care subsidies, many low-income families face difficulties paying for care. And, although the quality of child care can be a critical influence on the well being of infants and toddlers, finding good-quality infant-toddler child care can be especially challenging for low-income families.
Low-income families face many barriers in finding and maintaining adequate child care, which affects their employment. The problems facing welfare families as they arrange child care-low wages, nonstandard hours or changing hours, and inflexible schedules-also confront...