A new survey finds a number of Delaware parents struggling to afford child care, as costs for the service continue to rise.
The survey was conducted this fall by non-profits, including Rodel and Children and Families First.
“Families are really struggling to access and afford childcare in Delaware and are sending a strong message to policymakers and legislators and funders that we've really got to make investments," said Kirsten Olson, CEO of Children and Families First.
Over three-fourths of the 400-plus families surveyed said they had trouble finding or affording child care. Cost was the primary barrier, says Olson.
“We are hearing families tell us that in many cases, their early childhood childcare tuition costs more than their mortgage," she said
Olson notes problems accessing child care create more than a financial burden.
“We're also hearing from families that they're sacrificing the quality time with their families, that they're not able to spend the kind of time with their loved ones that they want to be able to spend because they may be working two jobs," Olson said.
Olson says Delaware has improved access to child care, but more needs to be done.
"We've made some significant strides, but clearly we have a long way to go," she said. "A couple of the policy initiatives that come to mind for me right off the bat are increasing our income eligibility for our child care subsidy and our state funded pre-K.“
Respondents also cited long waitlists and understaffing as additional barriers to finding adequate child care.
