Child Trends’ Post

Share your perspective and voice! Complete ASAP to help provide insights on Parent Aware.

Need the information to build more accessible child care in your state and stay informed about what other states are doing? Child Care Aware of America launched a comprehensive interactive dashboard for exactly that goal. Learn More 💡 https://hubs.li/Q02-L0fY0

At a time when child care costs are on the rise, subsidy programs like Wisconsin Shares are critical. Yet only half of Milwaukee’s eligible families participate in the program. Milwaukee Succeeds, in collaboration with the MKE Early Childhood Education Coalition, sought to understand the barriers hindering broader participation. Through a comprehensive survey of local parents and caregivers, crucial insights emerged, shedding light on the program’s successes and shortcomings. The results can be found in their brand-new report, Unlocking Wisconsin Shares: Insights into the State’s Child Care Subsidy. https://lnkd.in/gC2S5qxJ

📖 RAPID Survey storybook: Sharing child care providers’ voices and experiences This new publication from RAPID Survey Project shares the joys, challenges, and insights that providers have shared with the RAPID Survey Project through open-ended survey questions over the past few years. In their own words, providers describe their experiences caring for children under age 6. Read ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dCYX4gG5

Many families face considerable barriers to accessing child care and early education (CCEE) that is affordable and meets their families’ needs. In a new report prepared for OPRE, Child Trends' Patti Banghart Gottesman, Ashley Hirilall, Gabriella Guerra, Katherine Paschall, and Dana Thomson identify actionable steps that state and territory child care administrators, local CCEE leaders, and researchers can take to advance measurement of equitable CCEE access by centering families’ child care needs and preferences. https://lnkd.in/eXWAn5vk

Child care plays a crucial role in the lives of families, workers, and the economy. It impacts all of us in some way or another: Families: Affordability and Accessibility: Many parents struggle to find child care that aligns with their work schedules and commutes. In 2020–21, 13% of children aged birth to 5 lived in families where someone quit, changed, or refused a job due to child care issues. Financial Burden: The average annual national cost of child care for one child in 2021 was $10,600, which is a significant portion of a family’s income. This burden disproportionately affects single parents, families in poverty, and immigrant families. Employment Consequences: Women are five to eight times more likely than men to experience negative employment consequences related to caregiving. Employers: Productivity Impact: Child care challenges factor significantly into loss of productivity for employees. When parents lack access to child care options, they often have to take time off work. Turnover Costs: Employee turnover costs business owners an average of 33% of a worker’s total compensation (including income and benefits) to replace them. Child care issues contribute to this turnover. Consumers: Quality of Life: Inadequate child care affects the well-being of families, leading to stress and difficult choices. Without safe and affordable child care, working parents face impossible decisions. Economic Impact: The shortcomings of the child care system impact the financial well-being of families, especially women and single parents. In summary, addressing child care challenges is essential for both individual families and the overall economy. Real solutions are needed to ensure accessible, affordable, and high-quality child care options for all.

A new study reveals that millions of Young Americans provide essential caregiving to adults. Time spent caregiving impacts young adults’ educational opportunities and achievements. Recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by youth caregivers is essential for their well-being and future prospects. Learn more about the study and the impact caregiving can have on young adults: https://bit.ly/3Z5bgzL.

TODAY’S MUST READ: Jessica Grose's latest piece in The New York Times highlights the grim reality of child care challenges… and the hope for the future. From bipartisanship to incremental change, read about what it's going to take to address child care challenges: https://lnkd.in/dJxP-yWY

Child care is infrastructure and Democratic Whip Katherine Clark has a legislative package to make essential investments in facilities and workforce. Here are the first 5 things you need to know about her child care package: https://lnkd.in/eywndMQG

The child care industry doesn’t function like other industries as class sizes have to stay small for child safety and program quality, while prices can’t be increased beyond how much parents can pay. Learn more in our explainer video, A Healthy Child Care Industry Helps All Granite Staters: https://lnkd.in/ecKjt8jf