2026 OCAP State of the Child Report

CHILD CARE DESPITE RECOVERY, CAPACITY REMAINS BELOW PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS DESCRIPTION OF INDICATOR This indicator examines the availability and cost of licensed child care in Riverside County, including the number of licensed child care spaces by facility type and trends in weekly and annual child care costs by age group and provider setting.

Why is this indicator important?

Findings 1 • Between 2014 and 2019, Riverside County saw steady growth in licensed child care facilities, with centers increasing from 339 to 421 and family child care homes rising from 1,291 to 1,717. The pandemic years brought a sharp decline, dropping centers to 247 and family homes to 1,514 by 2021. By 2023, capacity had begun to rebound but hadn’t fully recovered, reaching 340 licensed centers and 1,314 family child care homes for a total of 1,654 licensed facilities. • Average weekly child care costs have risen sharply. Center based care increased from $239 a week in 2014 to $405 in 2023, while family child care homes grew from $154 to $231. Costs climbed across all age groups, with the highest prices for infants and toddlers. By 2023, caring for a child under age 2 cost families more than $21,000 a year in a center, while family child care homes averaged just over $12,000 annually. • Costs of care for children ages 2 to 5 years were lower than those for infants and toddlers but also increased over time. In 2023, annual child care costs for this age group were approximately $9,814 in child care centers and $10,604 in family childcare homes. These rising costs, combined with limited licensed capacity, highlight ongoing affordability challenges for families with young children in Riverside County.

Access to affordable, high-quality child care is essential for supporting children’s early development and enabling parents and caregivers to participate in the workforce. Limited availability of licensed child care or high costs can create barriers for families, particularly those with young children, and may contribute to economic instability. Monitoring child care capacity and cost trends helps identify gaps in supply and affordability and informs planning efforts to support families and promote positive early childhood outcomes.

1 KidsData.org: kidsdata.org/topic/102/child-care-facilities and Resource and Referral Network Child Care Data Tool: rrnetwork.org/research/child-care-data-tool

36