MADISON, Wis. — After June 2026, the Wisconsin Child Care Bridge Payments program will end due to
lack of continued funding from the State Legislature. This program was a smaller continuation of the
Child Care Counts program, which itself was cut in half in 2023.
Representative Randy Udell (D-47th District) released the following statement:
“For a Wisconsin family, the annual cost of child care alone is over $12,000 and rising. That’s why Child
Care Counts and the subsequent Child Care Bridge Payments were so essential: they helped working
families and providers give quality care to over 430,000 of Wisconsin’s kids.
“Sadly, the Republican majority refused to approve Legislative Democrats’ funding proposals to keep
these programs running. Now, one in four child care providers in Wisconsin are expected to either close
or to drastically reduce services.
“Child care affordability is essential for our communities and workforce to thrive. This next session, I will
continue to fight to ensure that families and providers receive the support they desperately need.”
