Monday, September 07, 2020
Child Care Crisis
Washington Department of Commerce says half a million children statewide are without child care. According to a press release by Child Care Aware of Washington, nearly half of the licensed child care providers are at risk of closing permanently due to the financial effects of the pandemic.
While the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says child care should cost 7% of the median family income, many working families are paying 25-50% of their paychecks. Washington Department of Commerce director Lisa Brown says,
Clearly, a dramatic investment in child care is needed for robust, equitable economic recovery in Washington state.
