Child Care Disruptions
Child care disruptions have declined recently. Still, 1 in 5 families had a care disruption in June, forcing 2.1 million families to cut work hours.
Child care disruptions, June 1 - 13, 2022
Percent of households where children < 5 years were unable to attend child care in last 4 weeks
Source: Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey. Note: Universe is adults in households with children under 5 years of age.
Child care disruptions have recently declined as the nation finds a new normal, with fewer restrictions, and more businesses and schools fully reopen. Families with children under 5, however, still face child care challenges. 1 in 5 adults experienced a child care disruption at some point during the 4 weeks ending June 13, 2022. Due to disruptions in child care, 2.1 million parents cut work hours, 1.6 million parents took unpaid leave, 1 million left a job, and another 521,000 lost a job.
Women have disproportionately managed households and child care concerns during the pandemic and were more likely to cut hours and leave their jobs (Employment Rate, By Sex).1 While employer-initiated decisions were the primary cause for workforce reductions at the start of pandemic, a recent survey finds that, in the last year, most women’s decision to leave or reduce hours was driven by a lack of reliable child care.2 In the same survey, 8 in 10 women said they could not afford to lose their jobs, with many suffering from high emotional stress when forced to make this decision (Symptoms of Anxiety or Depression).3
The rising cost of child care remains a concern for families with children under 5 and inflation has only exacerbated the problem. Operating costs for child care centers are nontrivial, often leaving little in the budget for wages.3 American Rescue Plan dollars to support these costs are only a temporary relief, as experts say the sector has been underfunded for decades.4 Child care providers across the nation are concerned about having to continuously increase tuition in an effort to retain workers and keep their doors open, while also balancing how much more families can afford.5 A long-term investment in child care will be a critical step in stabilizing the sector.
“Gender differences in couples’ division of childcare, work and mental health during COVID-19”. Zamarro, Prados. Review of Economics of the Household. January, 2021. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11150-020-09534-7
“Forced Out of Work: The Pandemic’s Persistent Effects on Women and Work”. Stanford University. June, 2022. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e7cf2f62c45da32f3c6065e/t/62bde72fc48ebe6be04ea2da/1656612655531/rapid-women-and-work-factsheet-june2022.pdf
“Why do parents pay so much for child care when early educators earn so little?” Center for the Study of Child Care Employment. April, 2020. https://cscce.berkeley.edu/publications/infographic/why-do-parents-pay-so-much-for-child-care-when-early-educators-earn-so-little/
“The American Rescue Plan Shored Up Child Care, But a Long-Term Solution Is Necessary”. Gibbs, Falgout. Center for American Progress. March, 2022. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-american-rescue-plan-shored-up-child-care-but-a-long-term-solution-is-necessary/
“Child care centers can’t afford to stay open. Here’s what this means for families”. Cohen. CNN. July, 2022. https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/06/economy/rising-cost-child-care/index.html
