Child care that is affordable, accessible, and responsive to the needs of children and families sets children up for lifelong learning and healthy development. Yet for many families, child care is out of reach and unaffordable. That’s why a collection of early childhood education advocates and parents have spent the year organizing for a child care system that works for all.
They’ve had a busy year navigating inadequate funding, policy challenges, and the continued fallout from the end of pandemic-era funding. They’ve done this while managing significant pressure amid the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history. While there have definitely been wins — such as New Mexico offering universal child care — significant work to ensure a fully-funded system remains. Here are six things child care organizers want you to know as we head into 2026.
1. Every child deserves access to high-quality child care.
“Every child deserves access to high-quality child care and pre-K — and this must be a top priority for Pennsylvania. Recent victories across the country show what’s possible when communities organize. At First Up, we are committed to ensuring that every child in Pennsylvania gets the strong start they need to thrive, child care is affordable to families, and early educators are paid a living wage.” — Tyrone Scott, Director of Government and External Affairs, First Up.
2. There is an affordability crisis in the U.S. that is most pronounced in child care, health care, and housing.
“The people we work with in Georgia will feel real, tangible, deep cuts of not only the longest government shutdown in history but proposed budget cuts. Not being able to access child care or Head Start programs will impact parents’ ability to go to work and to continue contributing to their workplaces.” — Erin Clark, Organizer, 9to5 Georgia.
3. When we organize, we win.
In November, New Mexico became the first state in the nation to offer universal free child care. This victory didn’t come after a short campaign, but rather sustained efforts to showcase the need and benefits of universal child care.
“The commitment to universal child care is a testament to the power of collective action and the dedication of our state’s leaders. By removing income limits and copays, the ECECD is removing a significant barrier for many families in accessing high-quality child care. This, in turn, will enable parents to work, pursue education, or start new careers without the burden of exorbitant child care costs. While there are still barriers to access, particularly for immigrant and refugee families and those in rural and tribal communities, this announcement brings us closer to universality, and we will continue working to ensure that every child and family in New Mexico is supported.” — OLÉ NM
4. Organizing remains a potent tool for winning for children, families, and child care providers.
“Child care shows us what solidarity looks like in practice — people showing up for one another and building the conditions for liberation from the ground up. To make it truly universal is to claim it as a public good that belongs to all of us. The 2025 electoral results in New York City have sparked hope far beyond our state. We intend to see that momentum grow until equity and justice are the standard everywhere.” — Marina Marcou-O’Malley and Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, our Co-Executive Directors of Alliance for Quality Education New York (AQE New York).
5. Child care educators and providers are small businesses that support the entire community.
“Child care is the workforce behind the workforce; a strong child care system enables everyone else to work. We should be investing in child care, while also encouraging legislative leaders to view child care providers as small business enterprises. Not only do child care providers run their own businesses, but they enable other businesses to efficiently run. That is why we have been working with legislative leaders as well as our state chamber of commerce. We’ve found support in unlikely places, and we are eager to continue this work in 2026.” — Tamara Lunan, Organizing Director, The CEO Project
6. Care is Not a Luxury, But a Discipline
“As the year winds down, I’m thinking a lot about how we create space for clarity —clarity about what we’re carrying, what we need to release, and what deserves our energy in the year ahead. This season reminds me that care is not a luxury but a discipline, and that strong families and strong communities depend on. Systems like child care must be protected and invested in. I’m entering the new year with a commitment to steadiness, compassion, and purposeful action, trusting that small, consistent choices can shift the landscape for all of us.” — Lenice Emanuel, Executive Director, Alabama Institute for Social Justice
As we head into a new year, I hope you’ll heed these reminders from child care organizers from across the country. Moreover, we should remember the people who serve as the workforce that enables all others to work.
Jennifer R. Farmer is the author of “First and Only: A Black Woman’s Guide to Thriving at Work and in Life,” and founder of the social good public relations firm, Spotlight PR LLC.