Childcare crisis in the Commonwealth

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – With childcare costs already out of reach for many people across the nation and inside the Commonwealth and others kept out due to low availability and the looming end to the American Rescue Plan Act funds, it has many Americans on edge.

Due to high costs, many Americans have found that it makes more financial sense for one parent to stop working and take care of their children than it does for them to pay for childcare costs. Nickie Jones, executive director at the Family Enrichment Center in Bowling Green, believes that this will hurt employment in Kentucky.

“It’s already expensive. And, you know, then parents are having to choose whether or not they’re going to work or stay home to watch their kids. They’re having to make those choices. And we know there are more jobs waiting for people to be employed in,” Jones said.

Much of the ARPA funds have gone to assist childcare facilities to pay their workers and keep their doors open during the pandemic. Many people began to see the importance of childcare work, which was often seen as minimum wage work for decades up until the outbreak of the COVID-19 Virus.

Now with increased pay, the centers are more costly to operate and thus tend to cost more. This coupled with limited space and the looming possibility of the already high prices jumping ever higher is leaving many Americans worried that they will simply not be able to afford this for their families.

“Affordable, high quality childcare is supporting a workforce. You know, Kentucky families have to have childcare to be able to work. You know, there’s been a lot of things put into place when the COVID happened and then post COVID for the with the ARPA funding that allowed us to pay our workers more,” Jones said.