Jennifer Wescott is president of the Family Child Care Association of Maine. Cristina Salois is chair of the Maine Head Start Directors Association.

Child care is more than a service — it is the foundation that allows Maine families to work, attend school and support their children. It is essential infrastructure, just as critical as roads, broadband and housing.

Yet across our state, families are waiting for access to the Child Care Affordability Program (CCAP), and child care programs are struggling with unstable funding that threatens their ability to serve their communities. That is why we urge Gov. Mills and the Legislature to include $15 million in ongoing funding for CCAP in the supplemental budget — an investment in families, providers and Maine’s economy.

Families across Maine rely on child care to participate in the workforce, pursue education and maintain economic stability. But the costs of care are overwhelming for many. According to the Hunt Institute’s 2025 data landscape for Maine, the annual price of infant care in a family child care setting is $11,830, while center-based infant care costs approximately $15,730 per year.

For a single-income family, those costs can consume 29 to 39% of household income, far beyond what families can reasonably afford. Even for two-income families, child care can still require 10 to 13% of income, placing significant strain on household budgets.

The federal Department of Health and Human Services defines child care as affordable when it costs no more than 7% of a family’s income. By that standard, child care is out of reach for far too many Maine families.

CCAP is one of the few tools that effectively addresses this challenge. The program caps child care costs at 7% of income for families earning below 85% of the state median income, ensuring families can access care that meets the federal affordability definition. This is precisely why sustained investment in CCAP works — and why it must be strengthened.

Despite the program’s success, many eligible families face waitlists or uncertainty due to limited funding. Beyond those currently on the waitlist, many more families are discouraged from applying at all, even though they need child care to work, attend school or participate in job training. These barriers disrupt family stability and limit opportunities for children to access consistent early learning environments. Today, Maine is only able to serve roughly 7% of eligible families through CCAP, leaving thousands of working parents without the support they need to remain employed.

Children deserve reliable, safe and high-quality care, especially during the most critical period of brain development. From birth to age 5, children’s brains develop more rapidly than at any other time in life. When child care access is scattered, interrupted or inconsistent, children experience unstable routines that are not supportive of healthy development. Stable access to quality early care and education promotes strong cognitive, social and emotional foundations that benefit children for a lifetime.

This funding is also critical for the programs that make child care possible. Licensed child care centers, family child care homes, Head Start programs and community-based providers rely on stable and predictable CCAP payments to retain staff, maintain safe environments and serve families effectively.

Without ongoing funding, programs cannot plan for the future or expand to meet demand. An ongoing $15 million investment in CCAP would provide stability, reduce disruptions and allow more programs to serve income-eligible families across Maine.

We call upon Gov. Mills and the 132nd Legislature to make a meaningful investment in Maine’s future. Fifteen million dollars in ongoing CCAP funding is an investment in children, families, child care businesses, communities and Maine’s long-term economic health.

Families and providers cannot wait. Maine can — and must — lead the way in ensuring child care is affordable, accessible and stable for all.