The Trump administration is considering a policy change that would allow married couples with a stay-at-home spouse to receive federal child-care subsidies, officials familiar with the proposal said. The move is part of an effort led by Vice President Jd Vance to expand the use of federal funds to support families where one parent remains at home to care for children.

Currently, subsidies from a Health and Human Services (HHS) program, originally established in the 1990s, help low-income and working-class families afford child care so that parents can work or attend school. The program typically provides about $9,000 annually per child. Under the draft rule, some households with one parent not in the workforce could become eligible for funding traditionally reserved for working parents.

This policy shift would mark a significant departure from current practice, as nearly 80% of the approximately 870,000 families benefiting from the subsidies are headed by single working parents, most of whom are mothers. The proposed change would effectively create a federal incentive for parents to stay at home, reflecting a broader conservative agenda to encourage traditional family roles.

Supporters within the administration view the initiative as a priority and argue it could help promote family stability by financially supporting caregiving at home. The draft rule reportedly targets married couples within certain income brackets, allowing the nonworking parent to receive child-care funds currently aimed at working families.

Critics have raised concerns that redirecting subsidies away from working parents may reduce the availability of funds for child-care providers, potentially causing some providers to increase prices or close. Industry experts warn this could exacerbate existing challenges in the child-care sector, which many describe as undergoing a significant crisis.

According to research from the Pew Research Center, more than 80% of stay-at-home parents are mothers, and the proposed policy aligns with efforts to encourage this family structure. The administration’s ongoing discussions suggest the rule has not been finalized, with details and potential impacts still under review.