Working parents in the United States are facing daunting hurdles to find high-quality and affordable care for their children due to the country’s inadequate childcare system. Each state has a unique setting, but what all states have in common are the high cost of childcare and the difficulty to access a system whose priority is not the welfare of parents, children, and professional carers.
What is quality childcare
Quality childcare provides the emotional and academic foundations that children need for a smooth transition from early childhood education to kindergarten and school. An efficient childcare system must be taking into account the child's cultural and linguistic context, which may be different from the majority's, and should be able to screen children's individual development, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Many states in America are developing or launching a Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS), which classifies local childcare programs based on their quality and helps parents assess the available options.
Why should the US invest in quality childcare
According to pedagogic research, high-quality childcare programs improve the participant's IQ, boost academic and economic achievement, reduce physical violence, and lower chances of childhood obesity and chronic illness. Children who have received good quality childcare, are less likely to be arrested in the future and have higher chances of well-paid employment.
High-quality childcare goes hand in hand with skilled, engaging, and satisfied childcare professionals. However, statistics are disheartening, showing that the early childhood American workforce is made up of about 2.2 million employees, who look after nearly 15 million children under the age of six. But it's not only the high student-teacher ratio that is hindering the quality of childcare in the US. In 2017, the average annual salary for carers in the US was USD 22,290, and in some states it didn't exceed the USD 18,930. The sad irony is that childcare workers all over the country, cannot afford to enrol their children in childcare programs, and if they do, it costs them more than 50% of their salary.
Unaffordable childcare in all states
According to nationwide statistics, the childcare of one child in the US costs 35% of a single parent's total income and 10% of a married couple's income. One in three families report spending 20% or more of their income on childcare, and one in five families say they spend more than 25% of their income.
When compared to major household expenses, childcare outweighs other costs in every region in the US. In 35 states and the District of Columbia the cost of childcare for two children exceeds housing costs for homeowners with a mortgage, and in all states, childcare costs exceed the annual median rent costs. Also, across the US, the average fees for infant childcare are more than the average cost of food and transportation combined.
If the above numbers aren't enough proof of America's lacking childcare system, it's worth mentioning that the yearly tuition fees at a public university in 28 American states are less than a year of center-based infant care.
The least affordable states for infant and toddler childcare
In the United States daycares are divided to center-based and family daycares. Center-based daycares run in commercial spaces, are more structured, and have more staff, whereas family daycares operate in the owner's house, and might be a better option for those who work odd hours and require some flexibility. In general, family childcare is cheaper than center-based.
The least affordable states for infant childcare in a center are Massachusetts with an average annual childcare cost USD 20,125, Minnesota (USD 15,340), New York (USD 15,028), Washington (USD 13,742), and Hawaii (USD 13,704). If you opt for a family daycare instead, Massachusetts remains the most expensive state (USD 12,636), followed by New York (USD 10,972), Washington (USD 10,457), Rhode Island (USD 10,179), and Alaska (USD 10,101).
The ranking doesn't change when it comes to childcare costs for toddlers (kids aged between 12 to 36 months) in a center-based daycare. Massachusetts remains the most expensive state, followed by New York, Minnesota, Washington, and Hawaii. For toddlers in family daycare, Massachusetts, New York, Alaska, Washington, and Nevada are the most expensive states.
The impact of expensive daycare on businesses
US businesses lose approximately USD 4.4 billion annually due to employee absenteeism among parents. Over a period of six months, 45% of employed parents are absent from work at least once due to childcare issues. However, where childcare has been affordable and accessible, employers report fewer absent workers, less turnover, and more satisfied workers, which all result in increased stability in the workforce. Good quality and affordable childcare services reduce missed workdays by 30% and employee turnover by as much as 60%.
