Even in these polarizing times, one thing we can all agree upon is that it is expensive to live in our wonderful community. Housing and transportation costs are well-known issues often discussed locally while childcare expenses tend to be overlooked. According to a recent analysis by the Economic Policy Institute, childcare costs were actually the highest single category of monthly family budget costs for a 2-adult, 2-child family in Summit County—costing more than housing, transportation, food, or healthcare.
Despite the high cost of childcare for families and the vital nature of the service they provide, early care and education workers have been underappreciated and underpaid for years. According to the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, the median wage for childcare workers in Utah is $10.47 an hour, and nearly a quarter (23.1%) of this Utahn workforce live in poverty, more than double the general poverty rate in Utah (9.2%). The pandemic has weakened an already fragile system, possibly to the breaking point, as this workforce has not returned to its pre-pandemic levels.
Problems in the childcare industry spillover to damage other businesses as well because these small businesses provide essential support for all working parents, and by extension, their employers. As the Harvard Business Review simply stated, “Childcare is not a family issue, it is a business issue.” According to Goldman Sach’s recent small business report, “Child care is one of the most significant economic vulnerabilities highlighted by the pandemic” and over half of small business owners suffered child-care challenges.
In order to assure that our local workforce will have access to high-quality early care and education for their children, the early childhood care and education workforce should receive priority for local affordable housing. This is particularly needed in our community. According to the Sorenson Impact Center’s Early Childhood Needs Assessment for Summit County:
· The vast majority (79%) of women with children under age 6 in Summit County are in the workforce.
· Childcare is very expensive. The average monthly cost for center-based care in Summit County is $1408.
· Even if parents can afford it, we do not have sufficient spots in licensed providers to meet the demand. According to the Department of Workforce Services analysis, two-thirds of the children under age 6 in Summit County need childcare (1786 kids), but we only have licensed childcare options for 924 kids.
Investing in our early childhood workforce will help close the achievement gap, assist local employers in attracting and retaining their workforce, strengthen our local school district, break the cycle of poverty, and maximize our collective return on investment. Let’s invite these workers to be part of our community by prioritizing their access to affordable housing options.