Cruel cut to child care delivered as protection rather than abdication

For thousands of Hoosier parents, keeping a job is about to become harder, not easier, following the state’s decision to slash reimbursement rates for child care providers.

The Family and Social Services Administration earlier this month announced reductions of 10% to 35% in payments to providers participating in the Child Care and Development Fund program, which helps low-income families afford care. About 55,000 children receive care through the fund’s vouchers, allowing their parents to work or pursue education.

The administration insists the cuts are meant to “protect kids” by saving the money for vouchers, but it doesn’t matter whether qualified providers, an already tight market, decide not to accept them. In reality, they threaten children’s stability. If child care centers can’t