Despite Gov. Ned Lamont touting investments in human infrastructure, like childcare programs, as essential, Connecticut may now be plunged into a larger childcare crisis.

The promise of the Early Childhood Education Endowment (ECEE) fund, which was signed into law last year, faces a massive funding shortfall and will now receive less than a tenth of what was originally promised or even nothing at all.

Lamont has said that “early childhood education remains a priority for our administration because it is a major component of what will create a stronger, safer, and more resilient state.” The budget coming out of Hartford tells a different story.

The goal of the ECEE was to address the childcare affordability crisis and expand access for thousands more. Today, though, it appears that just a fraction of the promised $300 million might be delivered. If that turns out to be the case, it will be a devastating blow to parents and guardians who were counting on this support.

The lack of affordable, high-quality child care remains one of the thorniest problems for families in Connecticut. Families nationwide lose an average of $6,980 per year, per working parent, in forgone earnings by reducing their hours, taking fewer shifts or even leaving the workforce entirely due to the inability to secure child care. I’ve seen firsthand how these challenges impact Connecticut families, including parents and guardians at Friends Center for Children, the early care and education program I run in New Haven.

But on the flipside of hearing the stories of parents quitting their jobs and cutting their careers short instead of paying for unaffordable care, I also get to see the joyful faces of babies, toddlers and preschoolers who are able to benefit from high-quality education and care everyday. There is no better feeling than speaking to a caregiver, filled with relief and optimism, knowing that their child is in a safe, nurturing place, off to a strong start in life. The benefits of investing in early care and education may be calculated in dollars and cents for legislators, but they are priceless to the families whom providers like myself and our team of educators serve.

A combination of factors has led Connecticut to its first budget shortfall since 2018, and early childhood programs will bear the brunt. This deficit also compounds existing problems, such as staffing shortages among early care and education professionals. The most recent estimate indicates that approximately 30,000 legally authorized childcare slots in the state remain unfilled because sites lack the staff needed to accommodate new enrollments. Amid a broader climate of national disinvestment in the youngest Americans and their families, underfunding ECEE would leave Connecticut in a worse economic position and hamper our ability to address long-term structural issues.

Here’s what this looks like at the human level: I think of a single father we talked with who wanted to work—who needed to work—but couldn’t because he had no reliable child care for his young children. Without care, he had to turn down shifts and eventually lost his job.

This wasn’t about a lack of effort or responsibility. It was about a lack of access to something essential: safe, affordable child care.

When we underfund early care and education, this is what it looks like. Parents are locked out of the workforce. Families lose stability. Children lose access to the safe, nurturing environments they deserve.

These are not abstract policy choices —they are decisions that directly determine whether families can stay afloat or fall into crisis.

Countless such stories affect families across our state.

The ECEE is an investment in young families, helping ensure they can thrive. They, in turn, contribute to the state’s economic dynamism, creating a better future for Connecticut as a whole. We who support the program are simply asking for the state to follow through on its original commitment.

These funds already exist, and now it’s just a question of whether they’ll be delivered. The state of Connecticut has a separate pot of money generated through savings outside the budget, set to amass $1.8 billion this year. Imagine if a portion of those funds were transferred into the ECEE. This simple shift would cost the state nothing, generate interest and solve this problem.

To deliver on the governor’s promise on human infrastructure, state leaders must deposit $900 million to the ECEE over the next two years. Without significant investment now, that promise slips out of reach, and so too do the vast economic benefits our state would reap.

A budget is a profoundly moral document, reflective of the core values and ethos of our state. Our state leaders have an opportunity –- and a responsibility –- to deliver on their early childhood commitments. Connecticut families are depending on them to financially support our state’s childcare infrastructure, giving our growing families the chance to get ahead. If we truly care about Connecticut families and the future well-being of our state, it’s time to put our money where our mouth is.

Allyx Schiavone is CEO of Friends Center for Children, which provides early childhood care and education for children ages three months to kindergarten age. She is also Chair of Child Care for CT, a statewide coalition working to make Connecticut stronger for families and the economy.