Ohio families struggling as state is stingy on child care
Nobody wants to be last.
But Ohio is indeed at or very near the bottom on important rankings of how we treat children and working families.
When are we going to own that? When are we going to change that? When are we going to acknowledge that families can’t take jobs if they don’t have affordable and — as important — quality child care?
The cost of full-time child care is between $10,000 and $13,000 per year for one child. That expense is overwhelming for even upper-middle-income families, but low-income families can’t possibly afford to pay $250 per week to work.
Ohio has a publicly subsidized child care program for low-income families, but it’s beyond stingy.
To be eligible for financial help, a family must earn less than 145% of the Federal Poverty Level – about $36,000 annually for a mother and two children. Earn much more than $17 per hour and this mother forfeits any help.
How does Ohio compare to other states when it comes to helping families with child care?
An astounding 47 states and the District of Columbia are more generous than Ohio in offering assistance to working families, according to a new report by the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center.
While the vast majority of other states give families an incentive to work and to become financially independent, Ohio effectively tells parents that work doesn’t pay. And we wonder why employers can’t get and keep help, especially for jobs that don’t pay high salaries.
Here’s another shameful data point: Ohio families receiving publicly subsidized child care can be charged co-pays of up to almost 27% of their monthly income. That puts Ohio dead last in the country for the burden it puts on families.
What is the reality for Ohio families struggling to pay for child care?
If you were working and still barely able to put food on the table, would you continue if more than a quarter of your income – – went to pay for child care?
Many families — especially single mothers — are taking jobs even though they don’t qualify for publicly funded child care. They desperately want to get ahead. Because they have no choice, they’re putting their children in poor quality child care, leaving them with relatives, or patching together unreliable child care arrangements. Then they miss work or are distracted on the job.
Every day they’re reminded that their children aren’t in nurturing environments that foster development and early learning. Who can blame them for quitting? Is that what we want for young children whose families are trying to do the right thing? Should we be surprised these children start kindergarten often woefully behind?
Children’s brains grow fastest in the first five years when the foundation for all their later learning is set. It’s the time to build their brains and teach them socialemotional skills that will help them throughout life.
As a state, we’re denying too many children a great start, and we’re refusing to support families who are eager to work.
Kids, families, and employers are paying the price.
If we want our children to develop to their full potential, if we want a robust workforce, we have to stop telling so many families that the cost of child care is all on them.