Top Three Takeaways for States to Address the Child Care Crisis

Three years into the pandemic, one of the biggest challenges we hear consistently in communities, in addition to housing accessibility and affordability, is child care. Recently American Progress identified the "Top 5 Actions Governors Can Take To Address the Child Care Shortage," but here are three considerations for your community: 

1. Increase funding and support for child care providers: Advocating for governors to provide financial support to child care providers, including through grants, tax credits, and subsidies, to help centers cover the costs of providing care and improve the quality of care.

2. Expand access to child care assistance: States can expand eligibility for child care assistance programs to ensure more families have access to affordable child care. This can be done by increasing income eligibility thresholds, simplifying application processes, and increasing program funding.

3. Create partnerships between child care providers and employers: Community organizations like chambers of commerce and workforce development agencies can encourage partnerships between child care centers and employers to help address the shortage of child care in their communities. This can include providing financial incentives to employers that help their employees access child care, creating on-site child care programs, and supporting the development of employer-supported child care cooperatives.

We'd love to hear what your community is considering to address child care. Reach out at engage@fourtheconomy.com to learn more about how Fourth Economy can support your community with analysis and engagement to understand industry sector growth, occupational growth, and community needs to prioritize child care needs.