Childcare Crisis

The crisis in child care needs attention now

By Michael Hobbs

Our child care system is in crisis.

Child care centers are faced with rising costs, inability to attract teachers to the

profession, and expiring federal support that threatens to close classrooms.

The Chatham County Partnership for Children recently led an assessment of needs in

↗. The needs are great. Failing to address them will hurt families

and businesses in our county, in addition to across North Carolina and the U.S.

Among the assessment’s key findings:

• Many Chatham families struggle to find affordable, quality child care with schedules that meet their needs. Shortages of care are acute for infants and toddlers.

• Costs are too high. In Chatham County, combined costs for housing and child care exceed half of low-income families’ budgets.

• Access to care is inequitable, with child care deserts in rural western and southern parts of the county. Latinx families face additional barriers, including language barriers, trust issues and cultural differences.

• Independent child care providers are struggling to survive financially. From 2020 to 2023, four child care providers and four family child care homes in Chatham closed, representing a loss of 296 child care slots.

• Low pay, limited benefits, and lack of respect are creating child care workforce shortages. Full-time child care providers in Chatham earn an average annual salary of $26,310.

• Many families rely on a “hidden workforce” of family, friends and neighbors to provide care, with implications that not all children will receive full preparation for kindergarten.

Child care shortages becoming acute

Our county's statistics are alarming. With over 3,500 children under five, we face a

shortage of approximately 1,300 child care slots. For families fortunate enough to

secure care, the financial burden is often overwhelming.

The crisis extends to our child care workforce. Early childhood educators in Chatham

County earn between $12.94 and $17.86 per hour — 37% less than elementary school

teachers. This wage disparity has led to a staffing crisis, with the time to fill teaching

vacancies more than doubling from 24 days pre-pandemic to 55 days now.

We've seen a net loss of 162 child care spaces over the last four years in Chatham

County. This is coming at a time when economic growth is expected to bring a 16%

increase in the number of children under age 5 in the next five years.

This is not just a Chatham County problem or even just a North Carolina problem -— it's a

national crisis. However, there's a stark divide in how it's being addressed at the federal

level. Democrats have been pushing for expanded investment in child care, recognizing

it as essential infrastructure for a functioning economy. Their proposals include

continued funding to stabilize the child care sector and initiatives to make care more

affordable for families.

Investments needed in key areas

The Chatham Kids Matter report ↗ offers clear recommendations for Chatham County that

align with these national efforts:

1. Significantly increase public funding for child care programs.

2. Use increased funding to improve compensation and benefits for early childhood

educators.

3. Integrate child care considerations into all county economic development and

planning discussions.

4. Expand child care subsidies to make care more affordable for families.

The Chatham County Commissioners included in their recently adopted budget new

funding that will begin to help. The General Assembly in Raleigh recently provided

important funding to temporarily fill a gap in an expiring federal funding program. But we

need sustained help from Raleigh and Washington.

High quality and accessible early childhood education is crucial. The first five years of a

child's life are critical for brain development, laying the foundation for all future learning,

behavior, and health.

The benefits of early childhood education extend far beyond the individual child. Studies

have shown that every dollar invested in high-quality early childhood programs yields a

return of up to $7 through increased productivity and reduced social spending later in

life. Children who attend quality preschool programs are more likely to graduate from

high school, pursue higher education, and have successful careers.

The child care crisis in Chatham County is a microcosm of a national challenge. It

impacts our economic vitality, educational outcomes, and overall quality of life.

Addressing this crisis is not just a local imperative. It's a national necessity.

Michael Hobbs serves as chair of the Chatham County Partnership for Children.

The Chatham County Partnership for Children’s “Chatham Kids Matter: Early Childhood

Action Plan” is available online ↗. The assessment and action plan were supported with

funding from the Chatham Education Foundation and the Chatham County Board of

Commissioners.