Moms First’s Post

At the end of September, we jumped right off that child care cliff. Despite the idea of child care having bipartisan support, Congress watched as we leaped. And no, they did not show up with a parachute.    Let's be clear. To have a healthy economy, we need a stable work force and healthy population increase. Today's households find it more and more necessary to have two working parents. That means anything that makes child care harder, directly impacts our economy. It got us thinking...since the time we have entered the workforce, we have seen an auto industry bail out, a bank industry bail out, an airline industry bail out and even talk of a cruise industry bail out. A U.S. representative recently pointed out that when they fail, we know there will be economic impacts and we move quickly to figure out solutions. So, why is it different when it comes to child care? The bulk of the work around child care has historically fallen on women. And it's not getting the attention or solutions it deserves. At the same time, this is not a women's issue – and not a problem women can fix on their own. That’s why we need to understand the implications a lack of child care resources will have to our economic stability. The Biden Administration is making the connection that child care is an infrastructure issue through a new, emergency funding request that could provide a year of child care stabilization. The proposed $16 billion in funding would support more than 220,000 child care providers, serving 10 million kids across the US. Unfortunately, we are realists. Meaning – Congress is a hot mess. Even more so than usual. And they need to green light this for it to have any chance at coming to life. Cue our peer pressure campaign.  Whether you’re calling your local representatives or asking your employers to #ShowUsYourChildCare, we need to continue highlighting the economic damage if we fail to come up with any solutions. 

Our team is buzzing after participating in yesterday’s historic National Child Care Innovation Summit organized by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Secretary Gina Raimondo’s appreciation that child care is an economic issue – and an innovation opportunity – is inspiring. As a team on the front lines of the child care system, Care is proud to stand alongside the leaders and stakeholders who convened yesterday, as well as our clients with whom we partner to deliver real impact for working families. A very special thank you to our client partners at Suffolk Construction, and especially Suffolk Chairman and CEO John F. Fish, for being true champions of child care for their workforce. They see first-hand the difference that child care support makes for their team and we are proud to stand with John and Suffolk as they advocate for child care solutions that support all workers, including those in the trades and other industries with non-traditional hours and needs. More to come on our work together in this space. Key takeaways: -       Child care is infrastructure. If roads are broken or in disrepair, we work to fix them. Child care is broken, and we must work to fix it. -       Child care isn’t a women’s issue, or even a parents’ issue. It’s an economic issue and the public, private and government sectors have a responsibility to work together. -       Child care workers are the “workforce behind the workforce,” and they deserve respect, living wages, and systems that support their career trajectories. Without them, no other work is possible. -       Child care is literally good for business. Those that provide child care benefits to their workforce consistently report positive ROI when it comes to their bottom line, retention, and productivity. Congratulations to all involved in this terrific summit. I’ve never been more optimistic about the possibilities for child care, and Care is proud to be part of the conversation and the solutions. Pictured from Left to Right: Jonathan Simon Rebecca Hunter Shannon McKay Colleen Sokolik John Fish Olivia Petzy Bryan Jamele

While our presidential candidates were busy debating who deserves the "Worst President" trophy, they managed to completely sidestep the child care crisis question, taking away from the airtime that Moms First and others worked so hard to get. So to make up for lost airtime, here are the "Not-So-Fun Facts on the Child Care Crisis". What did I miss? ⬇️ 1. The cost of child care now exceeds the cost of rent. Child care for two kids costs at least 25% more than the average rent nationwide, and in eight states, it more than doubles it.  Coupled with the rising costs of household needs and services, parents (primarily mothers) are opting to leave the workforce altogether as a means of saving. rude. 2. The US is facing one of the most severe teacher shortages in history. Post-pandemic, child care is one of the slowest sectors to recover, with 100,000+ fewer child care providers than there were pre-pandemic. No child care workers → centers can't operate → child care deserts → parents can't work. also rude. 3. 51% of Americans live in a child care desert- meaning there are literally not enough slots to meet the demand, forcing many to make difficult choices between work and staying home. incredibly rude!! 4. We just need to do better for educators. Despite being the backbone of early child development, child care providers face repeated systemic undervaluation and burnout. And on national television, with the potential of reaching all of America, our candidates' actions communicated a complete lack of priority. We need great organizations and employers prioritizing real solutions for families and educators. Moms First Mia Pritts Charles Bonello Brella Daniel Andrews Bridget Garsh Promise Venture Studio FamTech.org Bobbie ByHeart Sarah Lewen Parenthood Ventures Kim Chappell Carmi Medoff Mission Driven Finance™ Reshma Saujani Matt Sink Courtney Leimkuhler

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟 This week, Katie Vlietstra Wonnenberg had the honor of attending a The White House roundtable discussion. The focus? New policy announcements supporting small businesses in the crucial child care sector. 🏫👶 As part of the "Month of Action on Care" kicking off in April, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is taking bold steps to bolster child care services. They're offering new funding through the Women Business Center program, designed to help child care businesses expand their services and access. 🚀 Additionally, the SBA unveiled plans for a comprehensive childcare business guide, covering all the startup essentials. And that's not all - a lender campaign targeting small businesses is in the works, exploring reforms to support the expansion of child care capacity. 📈 In a statement following the event, Katie shared her thoughts: "Strengthening the care economy is critical to building the economic infrastructure that supports growth, entrepreneurship, and a thriving workforce. Small businesses, especially those in child care, play a crucial role in our economy and communities." These actions will provide essential resources and opportunities for growth, benefitting not only these businesses but also the families and children they serve. 🌟 Let's continue supporting small businesses, which make up 95% of child care providers, ensuring access to quality child care for families nationwide. 💼👨👩👧👦 #CareEconomy #SmallBizCare #ChildCare

🗣️ We repeat: The average cost of child care for two children is higher than the average rent price in all 50 states. Yes, America has a child care crisis, and it's hitting moms especially hard. Let’s talk about why affordable, quality, and accessible child care is important for all of us: 📌 It’s great for business: Our recent report with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) shows that US employers who invest in child care benefits see a positive return on their investment, ranging from 90% to 425%. 📌 It’s a game-changer for parents: 59% of parents with young kids have had to cut back on work hours or even leave their jobs because they couldn’t find reliable child care that fit their budget. 📌 It’s good for the economy: With a shortage of workers, businesses need women in the workforce, and women need access to quality child care to be able to work. In fact, child care-related challenges are costing employers $23B a year, resulting in a $122B hit to our economy. Bottom line, investing in child care is a win-win for everyone. Read the full article from Fortune here: https://lnkd.in/eTKZS_2N

Think the #childcarecrisis doesn't impact you because you don't have kiddos? The US will suffer something crazy like $512B (yes B) in economic impact because of this in the coming year. The result: - businesses continue to close because they can't find (or pay living wages) to workers or... - prices increase to cover increased labor costs (part of the reason your Chipotle lunch now costs a ton) and... -employees continue to quit (esp women) and leave the labor force entirely. - Companies need to do more w/fewer employees because talent is in short supply making your work life more stressful It's all connected in the end. If parents can't work, we all suffer. Corporations can help by expanding childcare support through innovative solutions like EnrichedHQ, adopting flexible work structures that allow for autonomy for all parents with kids of ALL ages (not just the "littles"), and legislative action like family leave and universal pre-k. This can be fixed. Encourage your company to expand their #employeebenefit options, encourage your lawmakers, continue to support local small businesses where you can.

Oomph. This one hits hard. With three kids in full-time daycare, I can relate. To take this one step further, work is also demanding during "off" hours. 🤦♀️ That 3 day conference that could boost your sales pipeline? ... you need childcare for 3 days/nights. 🤦♀️ That work meeting that spills into 6:00pm? You need someone to pick up your kid from school or practice. 🤦♀️ Does your spouse need to travel for work? You have to pick up the slack + manage a full time job (and don't forget to keep up with the laundry, groceries, cooking, cleaning, scheduling, anticipating needs + buying for those needs... etc. etc. etc... and don't even get me started if one kid gets sick.) The blurred line is never ending and it's hurting moms the most. Support for working parents goes beyond childcare costs (although that is extremely important)... it's also about creating a culture of boundaries. Make boundaries a cultural discipline so working parents don't feel like they're "falling behind" if they can't be in two places at once. ❤️

Actions speak louder than words. They say we are SUFFERING from a population decline. They want to take away more women's rights and some say it is our duty to have more children. But when childcare costs more than rent it's not because the teachers are getting paid better wages. It is because their ACTIONS say they really DON'T need more children in our country. Inflation is an action. Follow the money.

59% of parents with young kids have to cut back on work hours or even leave their job because they can't find reliable childcare that fits their budget. Now, imagine a parent that has a child with a disability. 73% of primary caregivers quit or reduce hours when a child becomes severely disabled. Traditional childcare isn't even an option at this point. Employers offer health, life, and disability insurance, but long-term financial support for parents when a child becomes severely ill or disabled has been missing. This gap in protection often upends family finances and careers. It also impacts the bottom line in lost productivity, turnover, absenteeism, and more. For the first time ever in the US, there is policy that will fill that gap. "Follow" the Juno page to stay up to date or DM me for more info.

For all of the grandparents out there that are adjusting to the realization that, "Hey, we're actually going to be alright." If you're considering what sort of inheritance you may be leaving behind, you may want to reconsider and instead provide support to your kids when they actually need it, not once they're already well on their own path to financial independence. #childcare #education #financialplanning