U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-New Hampshire, visited Concord on Wednesday to discuss the rising costs of child care at a time when the federal government is slashing education programs.

At a roundtable discussion, officials said child care is becoming more expensive and harder to find. 

“Oftentimes, I hear from pregnant moms that one of the first people they tell they are pregnant is a child care provider, because they know they have to get on the list so soon,” said Amanda Sears, campaign director for Family Friendly Economy.

A New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute report found that in 2023, families with two children in day care were paying an average of $32,000 a year.

“Families are paying oftentimes more than $300 a week for care for a child,” Sears said.

These are the issues that brought Goodlander to a day care in Concord to meet with a group of advocates and educators. The congresswoman said she is fighting to protect the federal dollars the state is at risk of losing, money that she said makes child care possible for working families.

“The latest draft budget that we saw would eliminate Head Start,” Goodlander said. “This is a program that’s been so important to New Hampshire. It’s been so important to people across our country for decades now.”

Running a child care center is also tricky. Owners are contending with rising rents, electricity and the need to maintain competitive wages.

“At the same time, they have to try and keep rates affordable for families,” Sears said.

The cost of child care is also affecting the local economy. A recent report estimated that more than $50 million in productivity was lost in local businesses.