Early Years

Unused Subsidies: An upcoming study by researchers at Temple University in Philadelphia will explore reasons why some low-income mothers are not taking advantage of child-care subsidies.

Reports from around the country show that subsidy- utilization rates are as low as 30 percent in many cities and that no more than 50 percent of eligible families use the benefit.

One obstacle to subsidy use in Pennsylvania, for example, could be that mothers must have a formal child-support decree in place to apply for assistance. Mothers, however, may not want to divulge certain information about the children's fathers. In addition, mothers are required to work at least 25 hours a week and show proof of their income. Finally, cultural reasons may prevent families from wanting to...