Genna Hackley’s Post

The average American family spends nearly a quarter of its household income on child care, a cost that can surpass rent or mortgages – if parents can even access care. This has led to what is known as the "childcare crisis," a situation where many working parents are struggling to find affordable childcare. With federal COVID-relief funds expiring, skyrocketing childcare costs, and increasing staffing shortages, the childcare crisis is prompting both public agencies and private businesses to seek innovative solutions. These solutions include on-site childcare for employees, local ballot initiatives, tax financing, and other creative funding models. At Dallas Afterschool, we partner with over 270 out-of-school time programs to offer safe, high-quality programs for children and provide working parents –especially mothers who face difficult choices between their careers and quality care – with peace of mind. To learn more about the childcare crisis and what is being done to mitigate it, check out The Hechinger Report: 

As an Umbrella Family and Child Care Centres Board member I wanted to share this insightful article written by our CEO Darryl Hall Umbrella Family and Child Centres of Hamilton https://lnkd.in/gcDd854X

Access to affordable child care is crucial for today's workforce and the future of our economy. Did you know that 60% of young children in Arizona live in households where adults work? That means reliable and affordable quality child care is more important than ever before. Let's work together to ensure that families have access to the resources they need to build a brighter tomorrow!

Join us for a Lunch & Learn webinar as we discuss the child care crisis, its impact on businesses and families in Texas, and evidence-based solutions. Register at: https://lnkd.in/gwgwzHdE High-quality child care facilitates healthy brain and socioemotional development in children, while also allowing parents to participate in the workforce. Lack of access to consistent, high-quality child care costs the Texas economy billions of dollars through lost tax revenue and missed work days. Lack of quality child care is also a root cause of rising poverty rates among low-income families. To ensure child care supports families and businesses, centers need high-quality early childhood educators. Texas has opportunities to invest more in childcare to both support working families and strengthen the workforce of today and tomorrow.

How do we ensure families have access to child care that is accessible and meets their needs? First, consider where there is misalignment between families' child care priorities and preferences and their child care experiences. New research from my brilliant colleagues, including lead author Ashley Hirilall, share a new method for exploring this misalignment. For example, findings from their research highlight that many families receiving subsidized child care in Minnesota, do not have access to care that aligns with their needs and preferences. From the report: "...nearly half of families who receive financial assistance experienced misalignment between their preferences for inclusive child care practices that support their child’s development and the child care they actually received." (authors: Ashley Hirilall, Holly Keaton, Kathryn Tout, Jennifer Cleveland, Mallory Warner, and Elizabeth Villegas, Ph.D.)

Every child, regardless of background, deserves access to affordable, high-quality early childhood education. This means taking action to improve the existing child care system by advocating for new state and federal legislation. We must transform our ideal policies into real, sustainable change that is tangible and universal.   Where do we start? WeVision EarlyEd, an initiative of our sister organization, the Bainum Family Foundation, highlights four ways we can shift our messaging to align our advocacy with what families want in a reimagined child care system. Find it here: https://lnkd.in/evgipnrQ

The results are in! Ninety-nine percent of the mums and dads who participated in parental leave coaching this year would recommend it to others. With the start of year being a peak time for parents returning from parental leave, now's the perfect time to explore how you can support your working parents in 2025. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gyfU8DxH

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

🧠 DID YOU KNOW? In March 2022, 91% of families surveyed struggled to find affordable, quality child care (@RapidSurvey, 2022). Home-based care is often the best or only option available for families in rural areas and for families needing care during nontraditional hours, like evenings, nights, and weekends. This care is often the most familiar, flexible, convenient, personal, and affordable option for families. #childcare Check out our home-based child care fact sheet to learn more ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dGWtxVMw

Q & A WORTHY Why is child care so troubled as a sector? There are many factors, but the primary collision is between two forces: families are spending an unmanageable portion of their income on child care, while child care providers are running businesses with razor-thin margins that are primarily dependent upon parent fees as revenue. There is insufficient care to meet the needs of New York City’s families, but the economics and regulatory realities prevent new businesses from opening and make it challenging for providers to stay afloat.