Why America's Childcare Crisis is an Equation We Can't Seem to Balance

Top of Mind with Julie Rose

More than two-thirds of children under the age of 6 in the U.S. live in a household where all available parents work. But in most communities, there’s a shortage of slots in childcare centers and home-based providers. Because of unreliable childcare, as many as 100,000 Americans are forced to stay home from work at least once a month, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's not to mention the cost, which eats up about 13 percent of an American family's income on average, sometimes rivaling what they pay for food, utilities, or even rent. If there's so much demand for childcare in America, why aren't entrepreneurs flocking to meet that demand? The bottom line is the numbers don't work. In this episode, we’re exploring why America’s childcare crisis is an equation we can’t seem to balance and what it means for families and communities, including those of us who don't need or want childcare. We’ll tackle the interesting history of childcare with a policy expert, get an inside look with a childcare provider owner in Virginia, and finally, we talk with a parent who pushed her community to do something different. Podcast Guests: Juanterria Pope-Browne, creator and owner of Kidz with Goals Unlimited, a daycare in Hopewell, Virginia Elliot Haspel, senior fellow at Capita, author of Crawling Behind: America’s Childcare Crisis and How to Fix It Lindsey Buegler, parent and accountant in Warren, Minnesota and former daycare board member