Child care workers typically earned $13.71 an hour, or $28,520 a year, in 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment remains lower than it was prior to the pandemic.

Hundreds of child care providers in 27 states and Washington, D.C., went on strike Monday to remind policymakers how essential they are, not only to families but to the nation’s economy.

Adult day care, often referred to as adult day services, provide a supervised community setting for older adults with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other health conditions that prevent them ...