Parents have struggled for years to find high-quality, affordable childcare for their kids. More focus has been on the problem since 2020, when some daycares closed during the shutdown months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of childcare centers has still not recovered. For parents of young children, this has presented a challenge.
In 2022, a U.S. Chamber of Commerce survey found half of all workers and almost 60% of parents cited childcare needs as the reason for leaving the workforce. A December 2023 study from the same organization found fewer than 60,000 people were reporting childcare problems as the reason for missing work, down from almost 100,000 people in mid-2022.
“If we have 800,000 people who are cutting back hours or leaving the workforce because of childcare issues, we could significantly address our workforce issue in the state,” Kershner said.
Grunder said having quality childcare means the workplace gets better, more engaged employees.
“We all win when our young children are being well cared for and educated and our employees are able to show up every day at work helping our businesses thrive,” he said.
There’s plenty of benefits for kids in preschool, too. Kindergarten teachers have said for a long time that they can tell when a student went to quality preschool. More research has shown that going to preschool can be an indicator of a child being prepared for and attending college. Other research has shown that much of a child’s brain is developed by age 5, so preschool and early childcare can help kids learn to regulate emotions early alongside academic work.
DeWine said he plans to reveal his version of the next state budget Monday and that a lot of it will focus on families. He is in his final year as governor and is term-limited.
DeWine said while Ohio is doing much better in terms of economic development, the state needs workers. It’s one of the common questions that businesses ask when they consider Ohio, he said.
“We have to meet those workforce needs,” he said. “To do that, we want every child to meet their God-given potential and every Ohio to live up to their God-given potential.”
DeWine touted Ohio’s Child Care Choice Program, which is a voucher for childcare for people making 146% to 160% of the federal poverty line. For a family of four, the monthly income should be between $3,625 and $5,000, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
He said when he started, the state only covered childcare for people making up to 130% of the federal poverty line.
“I want to encourage the business community to continue to get involved,” DeWine said. “I think it is good business. I think it is the logical thing to do.”
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