Young children are happier and healthier when they are well cared for by loving, attentive adults. Sometimes that’s one parent alone, but more often it’s a village.
The child care crisis, however, has made that village much harder to find. The past five years have seen a decrease in the availability of child care programs. Over the past few decades, child care costs have risen at twice the pace of inflation. In 2023, the cost of care was higher than rent in all 50 states. A small number of lower-income families can secure existing subsidies, but the majority are left to pay their own way.
Meanwhile, child care worker wages remain stagnant, so it’s no wonder many educators exit the field. Availability further declines.
Mother Forward 