New Hampshire Child Care Scholarship Program Reaches Young Children Statewide. Issue Brief #194

Carsey School of Public Policy. Huddleston Hall, 73 Main Street, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824. Tel: 603-862-2821; Fax: 603-862-3878. e-mail: carsey.school@unh.edu; Web site: http://carsey.unh.edu

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Child Care; Scholarships; Young Children; Program Effectiveness; State Programs; Federal Government; State Government; Federal State Relationship; Human Services; Health Services; Program Development; Public Policy; Federal Aid; State Aid; Financial Support

Child care is a core element of the state's workforce infrastructure for families with children, although prices can create uneven access for moderate- or lower-income families. The New Hampshire Child Care Scholarship Program (NH CCSP), a federal-state partnership administered by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, helps unlock access to high-quality child care for these families. The NH CCSP helps eligible families by offsetting tuition costs up to an established maximum rate. Enrollment in the New Hampshire Child Care Scholarship Program has more than doubled since program eligibility changed in 2024, with 5,817 children enrolled by December 2025. Almost two-thirds of children actively using a New Hampshire child care scholarship are under age five. Children in all counties utilize the New Hampshire Child Care Scholarship Program, reaching more than 7 percent of children under age 5 in Belknap, Carroll, and Sullivan Counties.

ERIC

2026

ED678612