DENVER, March 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Procare Solutions, a leader in child care management software, released our fourth annual Child Care Business Trends Report, offering a detailed look at the challenges and opportunities shaping early childhood education in the year ahead. The report draws on survey responses from nearly 5,000 early childhood education professionals and usage data from nearly 40,000 child care centers.
Together, these insights provide a comprehensive snapshot of the industry, highlighting how educators continue to navigate four key challenges: hiring and retaining staff, enrollment management, access to public funding and professional development.
Other findings in the report include:
- 41% of centers are operating under capacity.
- 43% of respondents said burnout and staff well-being is a major challenge.
- 31% of respondents say they rely on grants to run their businesses.
- 63% of teachers report managing classroom behavior as their primary challenge.
Accelerated technology adoption is another key theme, underscoring the importance of child care management software and a shift in attitudes towards AI usage in the classroom.
- 78% of leaders report using child care management software.
- 79% say child care software saves them significant time, allowing more focus on children.
- 65% of teachers identify communication tools as the most valuable software feature.
- 39% say they now use AI tools, a 77% increase from last year’s report.
By using technology such as child care management software, educators are better equipped to overcome the challenges outlined in this report. The growing adoption of digital tools demonstrates that child care professionals are evolving to meet increasing operational demands and the needs of today’s families.
“Progress is within reach,” says Sam Loveland, Chief Customer Officer of Procare Solutions. “By investing in professional development and mentorship within classrooms and extending that commitment to family engagement and advocacy, we can strengthen early childhood education at every level of government.”
The report also highlights trends in curriculum and assessments, family engagement, managing finances and security and compliance. Together, these insights will help child care leaders make informed decisions to support daily operations and strengthen the experience for children, families and staff.
Download your free copy of the 2026 Procare Solutions Child Care Business Report to make informed decisions on how to help your program thrive.
For more information or to schedule an interview about the report, email Karli Jerabek, Marketing Specialist at Procare Solutions, at knjerabek@procaresoftware.com.
About Procare Solutions
For over 30 years, Procare Solutions has been dedicated to empowering early childhood educators by providing products and services that enable them to focus on the care, safety and education of children.
We recognize the responsibility that comes with nurturing and educating children, which is why child care management solutions are designed to automate business processes, help ensure safety and compliance, communicate with families and provide educational resources and training to help teachers and children thrive.
Over 40,000 satisfied customers have chosen Procare Solutions as their trusted partner in providing exceptional care for young minds.
Procare Solutions is a business unit of Roper Technologies (Nasdaq: ROP), a constituent of the S&P 500 and Fortune 1000. To learn more, visit ProcareSolutions.com.
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SOURCE Procare Solutions
