Background Public financing and partial subsidization of child care can allow for more equitable access to child care in places where public provision and capacity are low. Countries have used a number of supply-and demand-side subsidies to expand access to child care services. Various mechanisms have been experimented in various countries, including and not limited to: (i) per-child operational grants to supply-side service providers; (ii) tax subsidies to working parents, and (iii) vouchers or direct cash transfers provided to households.