Subsidies but No Access: Families’ Experiences of Barriers to Using Child Care Subsidies in Wisconsin

• In Event: Childcare Subsidies, Labor Supply, and Household Decisions

Abstract

Child care subsidies are intended to make care affordable for working families and may be particularly important for single-parent families who are limited in both income and time for caring for children. Past research finds that for many families for whom subsidies may be most critical, there are barriers to using them, even when they are technically eligible. These include lack of availability for nonstandard work hours, limited options in rural areas, and inadequate resources for children with disabilities. Much of the existing work relies on quantitative approaches and focuses on parents who meet conventional definitions of low-income, leaving the lived experience of higher-income but still resource-limited parents navigating these barriers—including how they are (or are not) able to adapt, make child care work, and cope with the consequences—largely unexplored. Our data come from a broader qualitative study of Wisconsin mothers who were ordered to receive child support and eligible for child care subsidies in 2024 about their experiences with the Wisconsin SHARES (subsidy) program. In this analysis, we focus specifically on mothers’ discussions of their experiences seeking – and sometimes accessing – child care options that worked for their children, their work, and their financial situations. We build on the existing literature through family experiences, a focus on single-parent families, and a sample that included many mothers with incomes above conventional low-income thresholds. We interviewed mothers who varied in their labor market experiences, subsidy experiences, familial contexts, and geographic locations. Interviews were conducted by Zoom and coded thematically using NVIVO.  

Findings and Policy Implications: For mothers who were eligible for and consistently used SHARES, the subsidy was a critical financial support for ensuring employment and affording child care. We heard from some mothers, however, who were eligible for SHARES but were not able to use it due to a variety of reasons. Key themes that emerged included a mismatch between mothers’ nonstandard work hours and child care availability,l ack of access in some geographic areas, and, often, a child’s disability. The experiences of mothers with children with disabilities were particularly striking. We heard from multiple mothers that their children had been asked to leave or “kicked out” of child care, which often left them without a provider who would accept a subsidy. This often meant disruption to mothers’ employment and financial stability. Additionally, this meant that subsidies and child care were functionally unavailable to children for whom additional support may be most critical.  These findings emphasize the gaps in current child care policy for working families, particularly parents of kids with disabilities, parents residing in rural areas, and parents with nonstandard work hours. We build on the existing literature by focusing on family experiences with the mismatch in subsidies and care. These findings underscore the need for state and federal policy to address not just child care affordability, but the structural mismatches that leave some families unable to use available supports.

Authors

• Lisa Klein Vogel, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  Presenting Author

• Molly A Costanzo, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  Non-Presenting Co-Author