The Downtown Children’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri, was able to stay open for working families during the pandemic by using federal grants. (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)
Most Louisiana families with young children struggle to afford care, according to a new survey the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children published Tuesday.
Parents surveyed reported spending around $7,600 per year for child care for two children, with parents who do not receive any form of subsidized care report spending $14,000 per year. The median household income in Louisiana is $58,229, according to federal census data. The majority of families surveyed reported needing child care to be able to work.
“Louisiana’s families are caught in the middle — struggling to afford the child care they need to stay in the workforce, yet unable to access public support,” LPIC chief executive Libbie Sonnier said. “Without meaningful investment in early childhood education, parents will continue to face economic hardship, and our state will miss out on the full potential of its workforce.”
The survey of parents and guardians with children under age 5 was conducted in November by Louisiana Policy Institute for Children in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Education, Agenda for Children, Rotary Club of Baton Rouge and Women United of Southeast Louisiana.
The survey revealed concerns over the cost of child care are not limited to low-income parents. It found 58% of parents earning $50,000 to $100,000, 54% of parents earning $100,000 to $150,000 and 35% of parents earning over $150,000 reported worries about child care affordability.
The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children recommended addressing the affordability concern by increasing state investment in early childhood education and incentivizing businesses to contribute toward child care costs for employees. The organization also wants to make it easier for people to pursue careers in the early childhood field.
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