This report provides an overview of the child care landscape in the United States, and highlights the implications of some of the dynamics in the demand and supply of child care for America’s families, children, and the economy. I begin by highlighting the significant increase in the employment of mothers of young children in the last few decades, which has also been the main cause of the rapid expansion of the child care market. This discussion is followed by a description of the problems inherent in the U.S. child care market. Since child care is a service that is purchased and sold in the market, highlighting some of the ways in which this market fails to function is central to understanding the challenges facing parents and children. Then I summarize the main features of the market including the cost, quantity, and quality characteristics of consumers and providers in the market. This is followed by a description of the existing government programs designed to address the problems in the market, most importantly, the high cost of child care for working parents. Then, I discuss some the challenges caused by COVID-19 for the child care market. Finally, I conclude with a description of current government proposals designed to address the problems in the child care market. (author abstract)