New Mexico will offer free child care to legal residents after being ranked the worst state in the country for child well-being.
New Mexico will become the first state in the nation to offer no-cost universal child care starting Nov. 1.
“Child care is essential to family stability, workforce participation, and New Mexico’s future prosperity,” New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a news release. “By investing in universal child care, we are giving families financial relief, supporting our economy, and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to grow and thrive.”
The initiative by the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department provides free child care regardless of income, but there are some qualifications.
All qualifying children must be U.S. citizens, legal residents, or qualified immigrants, according to the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department. Only the child’s immigration status is considered for child care assistance, not that of their parents or guardians.
Families receiving this benefit must be working or in school to qualify, though there are exceptions, such as grandparents raising grandchildren, families experiencing housing instability, and those caring for babies who were born “substance-exposed.”
Families already paying for child care must confirm that their current daycare, including child care centers, home-based providers, before- or after-school programs, or summer programs, is with a state-approved provider. Families who were not enrolled in child care prior to Nov. 1 will have to apply through the state’s portal.
Funds for the program go directly to state-approved child care providers, not the parents themselves.
There is a chance that the supply may be lower than demand, however. The state still needs 5,000 additional early childhood professionals to make the new system work, according to estimations by the state when it made the announcement.
Qualifying programs must pay entry-level staff at least $18 per hour and offer 10 hours of care per day for five days per week.
Free universal child care funding comes from New Mexico’s Early Childhood Education and Care Fund, which uses surplus oil and gas revenues to help pay for the programs. Grisham signed the Early Childhood Education and Care Fund into law in February 2020.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s June 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book ranked New Mexico the worst state in the country for child well-being.
By Jacki Thrapp
