UCLA and Goldwyn Center Closures Cut 450 Child-Care Spots in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is losing more than 450 licensed child-care spots as two major institutions pull out of the early-childhood sector. The Samuel Goldwyn Foundation Children’s Center will shut its doors in November, and UCLA announced it will close its two on-campus centers in June. These closures eliminate a substantial portion of the limited capacity available on the Westside, forcing parents to compete for the few remaining openings.

The Goldwyn center, which has served entertainment-industry workers for over three decades, cites the industry downturn and the shift of four-year-olds to free transitional kindergarten programs as primary reasons for the decision. Bright Horizons, the for-profit operator, and the Motion Picture and Television Fund stated that the cost of operation became unsustainable. The fund, which provided over $300,000 in subsidies in 2026, argued that limited financial resources must be directed toward families struggling with basic necessities.

UCLA is taking a similar financial stance. The university indicated that its early-childhood centers accumulated a $7.5 million deficit. Administrators stated that serving the children of staff and students was not sustainable and that resources must concentrate on higher education goals. The university is also ending its lease with the University Preschool Nursery School, further reducing the number of available slots.

Parents in the affected areas report that the search for replacement care is intense and expensive. Krystal Kendall, a UCLA manager, toured nearby facilities with roughly 30 other parents, all competing for infant spots. She currently pays $3,300 a month at UCLA, but nearby alternatives like Bright Horizons charge $4,000 a month for one-year-olds. Jillian Griffith, a museum professional, faces a similar burden, with her current tuition at the Goldwyn center standing at $3,233 a month for her toddler.

The closures exacerbate a long-term shortage in the region. Los Angeles County has licensed capacity for only 4% of children under the age of 2. Between 2014 and 2024, the area lost more than 12,000 spaces for three- and four-year-olds, according to a UC Berkeley report. The average cost of full-time care now consumes about 17% of the median household income, a figure that the Child Care Resource Center describes as a failed economic market.

Local officials have urged the institutions to reconsider. Mayor Karen Bass wrote to UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk on October 21, warning that the closures would eliminate an invaluable resource. Assemblymember Sade Elhawary sent a letter on October 19, noting that the decision affects 80 educators and 300 families. UCLA has indicated the decision is final, and parents are being directed to alternative providers or offered sessions with child-care navigators to help them find new arrangements.