Today, most families include not just one working parent, but two. So when a new baby joins the family, working parents struggle to find childcare for their infants.
New data shows finding licensed childcare is a challenge, especially for parents with infants. Licensed childcare is available for only 27 percent of children with parents in the labor force. Additionally, only 5 percent of spaces in licensed centers are available for babies under two years old. The lack of quality childcare is critical, according to a new report released by the California Child Care Resource & Referral Network, a statewide organization with local member agencies in Los Angeles.
“The shortage of infant care in Los Angeles County is a problem for families and will soon have long-lasting impact for employers, and the economic health of our community. Working families simply need childcare,” says Michael Olenick, President and CEO of Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) a child development non-profit serving the Santa Clarita, Antelope and San Fernando Valleys.
The cost of licensed childcare is one of the top challenges facing families today, according to the portfolio. Here are some other fast facts:
• Childcare expenses average $7,477 for a preschooler in a licensed childcare center, representing 29 percent of the income for a family with both parents earning minimum wage.
• If the same family also had an infant in a family child care home, their child care expenses would increase to 33 percent of their income.
• Housing and child care for an infant combined can take nearly 60 percent of earned pre-tax salary, sometimes leaving little for other needs such as food, clothing, utilities, and transportation.
For free assistance locating licensed child care, Child Care Resource Center offers a referrals database online at www.ccrcla.org , as well as one-on-one consultation with a child development specialist at 866-674-KIDS.