Employers across the U.S. are facing a staffing shortage and the child care industry is particularly hard hit. Hiring and retaining workers has been a challenge at centers for years, but now it is escalating into a crisis and having an impact on families.
Nearly 1.6 million mothers of children under 17 are still missing from the labor force. They dropped out during the pandemic to care for children and have not been able to return to work as the school and day care situation remains in flux.
A report by the National Association for the Education of Young Children finds that more than one in every three respondents were considering leaving their child care program or closing their family child care home within the next year. The Ohio Association of Child Care Providers found in a survey that 61% of respondents closed or reduced a classroom due to lack of staff.
Joining Cincinnati Edition to discuss the reasons for the staffing shortage and what needs to be done to bring relief to the industry areOhio Association of Child Care ProvidersExecutive Director Mary Ann Rody;National Association for the Education of Young Children CEO Rhian Evans Allvin; and with Kindercare Kim Chandler.
Listen to Cincinnati Edition live at noon M-F. Audio for this segment will be uploaded after 4 p.m. ET.
Never miss an episode by subscribing to our podcast: