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It's no secret child care isn't working for parents. Just ask anyone you know in the workforce with young children and they're likely to tell you how they've struggled to balance the need to work with available child care options. If you know me, you've likely heard about my own challenges in securing child care for my three children, both in the early years and still now, as I navigate school breaks, sick days and the fact that school ends earlier than my workday.
What's less talked about is how child care isn't working for employers either. According to last year's Driving Growth report from Early Matters NEO (a coalition in which Greater Cleveland Works participates), a lack of affordable, accessible child care costs Cuyahoga County businesses an estimated $121 million annually in lost productivity and turnover. That's not to mention the cost of missing out on attracting quality talent. An overwhelming majority of working parents say they are more likely to choose an employer who provides child care benefits over one who does not. These impacts on employers weaken the overall economy. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation estimates an annual $5.48 billion (with a b) loss for Ohio's economy from a lack of affordable, accessible child care.
When employers care about child care, everyone benefits. Luckily, we live in a community committed to making child care work better for parents and employers. Cuyahoga County is one of six areas across the country selected to participate in the National Association of Counties (NACo)'s Childcare Supply Network, a peer learning opportunity with Pima County, Arizona; Columbus-Muscogee County, Georgia; Wayne County, Michigan; Multnomah County, Oregon; and the cities of Manchester and Lebanon, New Hampshire. Last week, I participated in a two-day convening of the network where our local efforts to solve the child care crisis were on display.
I'm particularly encouraged by a pilot effort led by Starting Point with $1.9 million of funding from the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, with support from The Cleveland Foundation and MidTown Cleveland Inc. Employers of all sizes across all industries operating in Cleveland's Midtown neighborhood interested in providing a child care benefit to their employees can have their contribution matched by the state, increasing the total benefit for their workers and improving their bottom line in the long run. The potential of this program, and its ability to drive policy-level changes, is huge. It's efforts like this that make me confident Northeast Ohio has what it takes to be the best place for workers and employers looking to grow and thrive. Learn more about the Midtown Child Care Fund here.
Thanks for reading!
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