Rural communities in Maine are particularly hit by the drop in family child cares across the aging state.

Maine Public reports the state’s number of licensed family child cares dropped by nearly 40 percent over the last 10 years.

Department of Health and Human Services data shows larger, center-based child care facilities have filled the gap in much of Maine.

But that’s not the case in rural areas.

Washington County has 15 fewer licensed family and center-based child cares than a decade ago. That’s a loss of 305 child care slots.

Advocacy groups say Maine missed out on millions in matching funds for child care subsidies following a $1 million cut in state child care funding in 2011. Meanwhile, such groups seeking more state funding say families are facing waitlists.