This report examines alternatives to state-sponsored child care disregards, which allow working low-income families to offset child care expenses against earned income, thereby receiving higher Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) payments than they might otherwise obtain. It explains the need for continuous, stable child care for…

This report is one in a series of studies by the Children's Defense Fund examining state policies and practices in child care and early childhood education. It is based on comprehensive surveys conducted in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in 1991 and 1993 to examine Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) child care policies and…