This paper examined the extent to which subsidies from the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) served families in urban and rural areas of the country in FY 2004. Overall, the analysis found that the distribution of CCDF caseloads approximately matched the distribution of children (all incomes) residing in those areas. In addition, the study also compared the characteristics of subsidy recipients in urban and rural areas of the country and found that urban and rural caseloads had many similarities. For example, CCDF families in both urban and rural areas predominately used the program to attend work (verses training activities) and, on average, their children were in subsidized care for over 30 hours per week. [13 PDF pages]
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The author is grateful for the thoughtful feedback on earlier drafts of this paper by Melissa Pardue, Susan Hauan, Colleen Rathgeb, Ann McCormick, Joe Gagnier, and Bob White.
The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author and do not represent the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services