Summary
In 2022, more than 1 in 10 young children had a parent who had to quit, turn down or change a job in the previous year because of child care problems. The burden falls most on mothers, who shoulder more child-rearing responsibilities and are more likely to leave a job to care for kids.
For low- and middle-income women who do find child care, the expense can become overwhelming. A 10% increase in the median price of child care was associated with a 1% drop in the maternal workforce. In Birmingham, Alabama, single mother Adriane Burnett takes home about $2,800 a month as a customer service representative for a manufacturing company.
When Daizha Rioland was five months pregnant with her first child, she posted in a Facebook group for Dallas moms that she was looking for child care. While her daughter remained on wait lists, RiolAnd’s parents stepped in to care for her.
