Lack of Childcare: #1 Culprit to Job Shortage?

Parents and employers remain greatly challenged by childcare accessibility and affordability across our region. Even before the Covid crisis, Grays Harbor, Mason, and Thurston counties had already reported a shortage of childcare options.

The Chamber chaired a Child Care Task Force in early 2021 to assess childcare challenges, how those affect parents, employers, and childcare providers, and develop locally-driven strategies to respond. The findings share some of what had been anticipated: parents are lacking choices and ultimately employers feel the impact of an unstable childcare industry. Below are short summaries of the surveys and interviews conducted by the task force.

“With full-time [employment] I would be comfortable paying $650. I’ve only been able to find childcare centers that are about $1,000 or more per month.”

“I don’t get paid enough to make it (employment) worth it. I make $15 an hour and work a few hours here and there. If childcare was even $10 an hour, I’m only now working for $5 before tax.”

“I am a single parent and struggle to meet the 400-$500/mo for care through the YMCA.”

Employer Survey Perspectives and Takeaways

Questions posed to employers in Mason, Grays Harbor and Thurston Counties focused mainly on how childcare options affected employees and, subsequently, their business operations. Employers were encouraged to share their thoughts about childcare.

• Employers ranked Availability of childcare more of a concern than Quality of Care in most areas. For Availability, “Good” and “Very Good” came in with the fewest responses (6% and 3%, respectively), while “Poor” received 35% of responses, and “Very Poor” received 21%.
• When employers were asked their opinion as to the root cause of childcare unavailability, nearly 30% of respondents cited cost for business operations/overhead, and 27% said non-COVID restrictions/state requirements.
• Childcare issues have had a significant impact on business operations across the three-county region. The top three most common issues are employee absences from work (21%), distraction at work due to childcare instability (18%), and tardiness (15%). 10% of employers reported that employees declined promotions due to childcare concerns, whereas 7% reported that they have not had any issues related to childcare.
• Many employers also reported difficultly attracting and/or retaining employees due to childcare issues, and 58% of employers said that the “shortage of childcare options” has impacted their business in some way.
• Employers outlined a number of potential short and long-term challenges that childcare providers will be facing in the future. The four main recurring themes were Covid restrictions; non-Covid state-mandated restrictions and requirements; retaining a quality workforce; and finding adequate funding to sustain the business.

Many employers also reported a commitment to assist in addressing the childcare shortage including: creating a flexible schedule was the most popular response (45%), with providing flexible spending accounts (22%) and providing space “on a company site for a childcare business” (11%).

Licensed Childcare Provider Perspectives and Key Takeaways

A survey of licensed family childcare homes and licensed centers was administered to learn about needs, desires, and concerns of owners and directors of licensed childcare homes and centers.  Their top three business challenges and issues included:

Additional question asked of provider: What do you wish people knew about childcare?
Many childcare providers wished people knew they have a major role as educator and that childcare is not babysitting. Children are learning and growing across the developmental domains was mentioned by 15. Another 23, wanted to be acknowledged for the important work they do, that their role is essential and that they would like to feel respected and shown appreciation for their work. The most frequent comments (26) were they wished people knew what a hard, stressful job it is and the long hours they put in. People knowing what low-pay the childcare workforce receives was mentioned by 9.

“The work we do is not easy. We work a lot of hours (14-16 hours a day, plus planning on weekends) and wear many hats; as family childcare workers we are teachers, nurses, counselors, chefs, janitors, drivers (to school), and administrators (doing all the paperwork and billing ourselves). And, we are lowly compensated and do not receive benefits for the work we do.”

“Our job is all about supporting children’s development and learning and not a babysitting job. I feel that parent’s do not appreciate the work my teachers do daily.”

Action Strategies and Priority Goals

• Improve access, funding and site flexibility for childcare facilities
• Support childcare businesses to succeed and thrive
• Improve supply of childcare teachers and managers
• Organize cross sector advocacy for increased state investment and policy change
• Organize and support more employer actions
• Local funding for childcare