If you have kids or know anyone who does, this won’t surprise you: A new poll from the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that 76% of Americans say the cost of child care is a “major problem” in the United States. But the poll also sheds some light on why addressing the issue is so complicated, as it suggests Americans are divided over the appropriate policy fixes and the role government should play.
Only 46% of adults surveyed say that helping working families pay for child care should be a “high priority” for the federal government, including 53% of Democrats, 56% of independents and 33% of Republicans. Just 41% of Americans say that making it easier for parents to leave the workforce to raise children should be a high priority. But 67%, including 76% of Democrats and 58% of Republicans, favor requiring employers to provide paid family leave for parents of newborns. Almost two-thirds, 64%, support free or low-cost daycare for children too young to attend public school.
The poll of 1,158 adults was conducted June 5 to 9 and has an overall margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
