I have two girls, their father and I are separated and trying to find some place that would work was hard. We applied for child care assistance through the state but since my husband was still on my account there was all this confusion.
My younger daughter has some special needs and was accepted to preschool with a scholarship called "Race to the Top" that covers 100% of the cost. There was no way I would have been able to afford it if I didn't get the assistance. For us, this was huge. Without the special funding, I would have had to pay at least an extra $600 every month and I'm struggling as it is. Hopefully next year we'll be in a better place financially and we can keep her in the school.
In Massachusetts, the cost of child care for a two-parent, middle-class family averages 16% of their annual income. In Mississippi, costs average 7.3%. See how your state ranks.
