Wisconsin warns of childcare cost increases

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin parents already paying $17,400 a year for infant care face higher bills as a $110 million federal childcare subsidy ends Tuesday, the state’s child welfare agency warns.

The state’s Department of Children and Families said the end of the federal bridge payment program is almost certain to drive costs higher.

The total taxpayer cost for the bridge payment program in Wisconsin is $110 million, running from July 2025 to Tuesday’s scheduled end.

The program makes monthly payments directly to providers.

Reports show the end of the program could be any increase in childcare expense between $1,300 and $2,600 for the average Wisconsin family.

“Childcare costs in Wisconsin significantly outpace inflation,” the department wrote in its report. “Families with an infant in center-based care are seeing an average 8% increase in monthly tuition prices, while families with an infant in family-based care are seeing an average 13% increase.”

“At the gas pump and grocery store, everyone is f...