02/12/2026
https://www.tqee.org/tell-policymakers-clear-the-child-care-waitlist/
Across Tennessee, working families are facing an impossible choice: keep their jobs or care for their children.
Last year, Tennessee’s federal child care funding was reduced by $44.5 million. In response, access to the Smart Steps Child Care Assistance Program was frozen — creating waitlists for thousands of otherwise eligible low-income working families.
Smart Steps helps parents afford licensed child care so they can remain in the workforce. When access was paused:
-Families lost the assistance that made care affordable
-Parents were forced to cut work hours or leave jobs altogether
-Child care providers lost enrollment and revenue
-Some families turned to unregulated care out of desperation
-Even as families struggle, more than $190 million in Tennessee’s federal TANF reserve funds remain unused.
For households already living paycheck to paycheck, the loss of child care support has created immediate financial strain — impacting employment, housing stability, and food security.
Tennessee’s economy depends on working families. And working families depend on child care.
Tennessee paused Smart Steps child care assistance, leaving thousands on a waitlist. Support SB 1921 / HB 2358 to use existing TANF reserves and restore access for working families.
