On Monday, child care providers across the country are closing their doors as part of the third annual "Day Without Child Care," which aims to highlight "the true cost of care."
The day seeks to draw awareness to "the national crisis that our childcare system is in," according to Community Change Action, which organized the movement. Over 1,065 childcare providers and parents will close their doors or call out of work for the day alongside thousands of participants in over 80 events across 26 states.
"We can't make it work without more money, bottom line," Yessika Magdaleno, a childcare provider of almost 23 years from Garden Grove, California, said in a statement. "I'm always told that I should close my doors and try working in a different, more lucrative industry, but I don’t want to do that."
Organizers say the ongoing childcare crisis has only worsened since the industry hit the federal funding cliff back in September, when pandemic-era funding that kept thousands of programs afloat nationwide ran out. Now, another cliff is fast approaching with little federal action to cushion the blow.
"Many childcare providers have been forced to close their doors, reduce spots, or take significant pay cuts and many families have been priced out of or lost access to care," said Community Change Action. "If our leaders don't step up and legislate a solution to this crisis, we all will pay the price of an underfunded system."
Supporters are demanding the funding needed for a 21st century child care system, including: thriving wages for providers; affordable care for every family; a childcare system built on racial and gender equity; an expanded, inclusive child tax credit.
"Without government support to fund higher wages for providers, owners of care businesses have no choice but to charge parents more for care. The obvious problem is that many families cannot afford the rate increases while also dealing with the higher household costs brought on by inflation," said Johnny Anderson, who owns the largest family-owned care company in Utah. "A lot of parents are pulling their children from care, causing centers to struggle with lower enrollment and finances. It's a recipe for disaster and we are seeing providers being forced to close their doors."
States where events -- marches, rallies, town halls -- are planned include: Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, D.C., Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
"As our childcare crisis wages on, showing our country just how essential child care is to our communities and what consequences we will face if we don’t take action is more important than ever," said Community Change Action.
According to Care.com's 2024 Cost of Care Report, parents on average spend 24% of their household income on child care with nearly half (47%) spending more than $18,000 a year -- and a staggering 20% spending more than $36,000 annually.
"Within the first five years of their child's life, parents are being forced into a financial hole that is nearly impossible to climb out of," Brad Wilson, CEO of Care.com, said in a statement. "A healthy economy depends upon the ability for people to save and spend, but given the crushing weight of child care costs, those pillars are crumbling."
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services considers child care "affordable" when it costs families no more than 7% of their household income. However, according to the Care report, families are spending an average of 24% of their household income on child care -- with 60% spending 20% or more and 84% spending 10% or more.