Barriers to Subsidies: Reasons Why Low-Income Families Do Not Use Child Care Subsidies.

Child care affordability is a problem for low-income families. Child care subsidies are intended to reduce child care expenses and promote parental employment for poor families. Yet many families fail to utilize the child care subsidies for which they are eligible. This research investigates barriers to utilizing child care subsidies. Found barriers included parents' beliefs that they either did not need or were not eligible for subsidy. Families both with and without subsidies were confused about subsidy regulations. Knowingly eligible families avoided applying for subsidies because of perceived hassles and restrictions, real or perceived, associated with accessing the subsidy system. Policy recommendations include adopting better methods for disseminating information about subsidy availability and eligibility as well as reducing barriers associated with specific subsidy regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]