Poll shows most Americans feel child care costs are a 'major problem'
Watch: Trump's answer on fixing child care crisis
At an Economic Club of New York forum in September, Donald Trump was asked what he would do about the child care crisis. Economists and activists later called his answer an "incoherent word salad" and "incomprehensible at best.'
The cost of child care in America is a significant issue, with most Americans favoring policies that would offer free or low-cost day care or require employers to provide paid family leave, a new poll found.
But how much involvement the government should have in child care costs remains a divisive topic, according to a June poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll findings help explain the difficulty advocacy groups, elected officials and families navigate in trying to address the high costs of care: While most agree it's a problem, there isn't a simple fix.
Vice President JD Vance, for example, has tried to push for ideas that would encourage Americans to have families but has opposed government spending on child care, saying children benefit from having a parent or family member at home as a caretaker.
RELATED: Americans want the government to focus on child care costs, not birth rates: Poll
Child care costs a ‘major problem’
By the numbers:
About 75% of U.S. adults see child care costs as a "major problem," but only about 50% say helping working families pay for child care should be a "high priority" for the federal government.
What they're saying:
"Everyone kind of agrees that it’s a problem that we need to address," said Sarah Rittling, executive director of the First Five Years Fund advocacy organization. "By having this issue out there, it really is driving a lot of bipartisan conversations."
Big picture view:
The latest congressional budget bill of tax cuts includes tax credits and benefits for parents and businesses that assist employees with child care. Those changes have been praised by some, while others say millions of families at lower income levels wouldn't get the full credit and would be affected by cuts in Medicaid and food stamps.
Which states have the most expensive child care?
Local perspective:
A new WalletHub analysis found that married couples in New York, New Mexico, Washington and Oregon will spend the most on child care. For single parents, Washington, DC, New York, Massachusetts and Vermont top the list.
RELATED: Child care costs are highest in these states, study finds
Free day care and family leave
About two-thirds of those polled are in favor of providing free or low-cost day care for children too young to attend public school, and a similar share favor requiring employers to provide paid family leave for new parents.
FILE - Volunteer counselors Ann McNamee, top left, and Maddy Cross play Duck-Duck-Goose with children who attend Project Camp, free child care for families impacted by the Los Angeles fires (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Women are more likely than men to support the proposals, and Democrats are more likely than Republicans, but each is popular across the board.
Who should be caring for children?
Dig deeper:
There’s more divide when it comes to who should be caring for children. About 45% of those polled say children with two parents are better off when one stays home to raise the kids. About 10% say children are better off when both parents work full-time. About 40% say it doesn’t make a difference.
Child tax credit changes
Why you should care:
In the final "big, beautiful" budget bill signed by President Trump last week, the child tax credit increased from $2,000 to $2,200.
The package also increased a benefit allowing most working parents to claim a higher percentage of their child care expenses and get more tax credits.Trump's Republican administration backed away from a proposal this year to eliminate funding for Head Start.
The other side:
Other groups have pointed out the new law's cuts in Medicaid would result in a loss of health coverage for many child care workers.
The Source: This report includes information from The Associated Press and previous LiveNow from FOX reporting. FOX's Stephanie Weaver contributed.