Money for child care programs that serve some of California's highest need children has been delayed in the aftermath of President Donald Trump's federal funding freeze. At least seven Head Start programs that receive federal funding to serve low-income families have experienced delays in accessing funds,

Leaders of dozens of Head Start preschools said they might need to close temporarily because they remain locked out of their federal funding, a problem that first surfaced last week during President Donald Trump’s aborted effort to freeze federal grants.

Early childhood education centers and states discovered Tuesday they could no longer access money they rely on to provide care for some of the nation’s neediest families.

Trump's directive to pause federal grants raised concerns for programs like Meals on Wheels and Head Start. While direct assistance such as Social Security and Medicare remains unaffected, uncertainty surrounds funding for community-based nutrition and early childhood education services reliant on federal grants.

As the White House paused federal grants and loans in a far-reaching executive order, early childhood education centers and states discovered Tuesday they could no longer access money they rely on to provide care for some of the nation’s neediest families and children.

Madonna Princer, executive director of Head Start for Kent County, said her program is facing continued delays in accessing federal funding.

Wisconsin Head Start programs are still struggling to recover from the federal freeze on grants and loans ordered by President Donald Trump on Jan. 28. Even though the White House clarified that the freeze wouldn't affect Head Start programs and rescinded the order on Jan.