A shortage of affordable, quality child care
”I had to tell a mother I was no longer accepting infants. She asked me if I knew any providers that were. When I told her ‘no’ she began to cry. She said she would lose her job if she couldn’t find care. I was torn, but I took her daughter. Two years later, the child is still in my care, and the mother kept her job. I am grateful that I was able to help a working family by helping a child grow.”
—Leslie Cummings, Washington
Parents who have come up against a shortage of affordable child care can relate to the mother in Leslie’s story. Child care is a basic necessity for most working families. In the U.S., more than 60 percent of children under six spend time in non-parental care.
Quality care and early education give parents peace of mind and make a profound difference in the lives of children—but experienced providers are leaving the field in staggering numbers, reducing the quality and availability of care.
Why are providers leaving?
Too many can’t afford to stay in the profession. Family child care providers earn about $10,500 a year. After paying for food, activities, and other expenses, providers’ net earnings average between $5,132 and $8,334.
Child care reimbursements from the state rarely cover the actual cost of care, leaving most providers who accept children from families who rely on subsidies earning less than minimum wage.
Family child care providers rarely have access to health care, paid sick days, or other basic benefits that help people stay in a career. And most family providers have no voice at all in decisions that affect them and the kids in their care. These poor working conditions cause more than a third of providers to leave the field every year.
What’s the solution?
Family child care providers across the United States are joining together in SEIU to win a strong voice for affordable, quality child care—for kids, for families, and for our communities.
By uniting providers, parents, advocates, community groups, political leaders, and working families committed to putting children first, we can stem the loss of quality providers and improve early care and education for our children.