to allow each State maximum flexibility in developing child care programs and policies that best suit the needs of children and parents within that State;

to promote parental choice to empower working parents to make their own decisions regarding the child care services that best suit their family’s needs;

to encourage States to provide consumer education information to help parents make informed choices about child care services and to promote involvement by parents and family members in the development of their children in child care settings;

to assist States in delivering high-quality, coordinated early childhood care and education services to maximize parents’ options and support parents trying to achieve independence from public assistance;

to assist States in improving the overall quality of child care services and programs by implementing the health, safety, licensing, training, and oversight standards established in this subchapter and in State law (including State regulations);

to improve child care and development of participating children; and

to increase the number and percentage of low-income children in high-quality child care settings.