Every day 13 million preschoolers -- including 6 million infants and toddlers -- are in child care. The need for quality child care, preschool and after-school programs is a daily concern for millions of American working parents, but quality child care and constructive after-school programs are too often unaffordable or simply not available.

USA Child Care is an organization of child care providers dedicated to expanding high quality care to all communities.

The National Partnership for Women and Families is working to bring about paid family leave policies so that parents have the option to stay home to take care of their babies.

The Zero to Three Policy Network helps professionals use their knowledge and expertise to influence public policy so that all babies have good health, strong families, as well as positive early learning experiences.

State leaders argue that good child care helps working families and the business bottom line. The First Three Years, a National Governors Association guide, helps governors and their policy advisors convey the importance of investing in a child's first three years to legislators, parents, businesses, and other community members who can become partners in the effort to give children a better start in life.

Women and their families have a tremendous stake in public policies that will help make high-quality child care available and affordable to those who need it.

Parents aren’t the only ones who need better child care. Here’s how to engage business leaders, educators and others in the effort to improve affordable, quality options for care.