According to The Center for American Progress, approximately 51% of all residents in the U.S. live in a childcare desert.Not only does this place an immense burden on one's household, it also impacts the economy via workforce participation. You can't work if you don't have childcare- and if you work from home and attempt to juggle both, you would be clocking-in and performing double duty. It can quickly become logistical nightmare for any parent and can increase the risk of burnout.
Who is typically most impacted by this? Low-income families that reside in areas without enough licensed childcare professionals, Hispanic/Latinx families, families residing in rural areas.
"Based on the 2022 Cost of Care Survey, childcare is not in the affordable range for most families. Of parents surveyed, 72% say they are spending 10% or more of their household income on child care, with a majority (51%) spending more than 20% or more."
Certainly, there are various reasons why one may experience burnout, but I would be remiss if I neglected to mention the impact of childcare and the exorbitant financial cost to secure care for one's child(ren). The other sobering reality of it all:Â daycare workers do not make enough money for the responsibility they bear in the childcare field.
According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median percentile hourly wage estimate for childcare workers is $ 13.22. They are responsible for the health, safety, and development of our children when we are not present.
Where do we even begin? How can we (as a community) mobilize resources to the places that need this type of support?
📌 Follow @runtellmom for Parental Health Promotion & Wellbeing Resources. This platform and website are not intended as medical / therapeutic advice. For informational and educational use only.
References
https://childcaredeserts.org/2018/
https://www.care.com/c/how-much-does-child-care-cost/
 https://www.businessinsider.com/childcare-deserts-labor-shortage-infrastructure-affordable-childcare-working-parents-2021-11
https://www.bls.gov/Oes/current/oes399011.htm
