Policy advocates argue that child care, including for infants and toddlers, is an economic issue that affects all Americans, not just those with young kids. That is up from $57 billion in 2018, before the pandemic exposed and exacerbated holes in the system for working families and the companies that rely on them. Part of the nationwide solution is supporting what the group calls the "workforce behind the workforce" — early child care providers. "Supporting the early childhood workforce could include such things as making sure child care providers have access to benefits. "Programs that support additional training and education for child care providers are important as well."

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Persons: Nancy Fishman, Fishman Organizations: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bank of America, American, ReadyNation, CNBC