Soaring cost of childcare in the US becomes key issue in presidential election
Net childcare costs in America account for about a third of an average couple’s income – the highest among all developed countries.
Single mother Charlena Stokes and her daughter.
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LAS VEGAS: With child daycare costs in the United States rising at more than double the inflation rate, parents like Charlena Stokes are in a tight spot.
Day-to-day expenses grew difficult to balance for the single mother. Earlier this year, when the cost of living became too unbearable for her, she ended up in a housing programme for homeless mothers in Las Vegas with her two daughters.
“You’re trying to get groceries, you’re trying to find schooling for them, and then you’re trying to juggle work on top of that – and if you have school too, it’s a lot,” she told CNA.
Stokes said she was forced to leave her job when she could not afford childcare.
“It’s overwhelming. It seems like … I moved five steps forward and I’m pushed five steps back,” she added.
Figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development show that net childcare costs in America are the highest among all developed countries, accounting for 32 per cent of an average couple’s income.
Mothers are often forced to stay home instead to take care of their children, potentially undermining progress in gender equality.
As the Nov 5 presidential election approaches, American families told CNA that the cost of childcare is becoming a top issue for them and could affect who they vote for.
US$1,300 A MONTH FOR DAYCARE
In the glitzy city of Las Vegas located in the swing state of Nevada, daycare costs for a child aged under 5 stands at about US$1,300 a month, according to the Department of Labor.
This is despite overall consumer prices gradually stabilising, with inflation slowing to its lowest level since the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Such hefty childcare costs will strain most two-parent households, but will be an even bigger burden on single parents.
In Nevada, almost three-quarters of young children do not have access to licensed care, according to the governor’s office.
Katie Sheffey, a single mother from Nevada, said: “It’s not easy raising a kid by yourself because they have their needs, you have your own needs.”
Las Vegas is also a “24-hour town” where residents rely heavily on childcare providers, said Danielle Holmes, quality and community relations director at non-profit organisation The Children’s Cabinet.
“Oftentimes, (providers) have increased hours – they might be (open) 24 hours – to take care of children while their parents go to work,” Holmes added.
But during the pandemic, many childcare providers closed and were not replaced. Wages in the sector have also remained low compared with other service industries.
CANDIDATES’ POLICIES
Some Las Vegas mothers said they are looking for the next president to fix the country’s childcare crisis.
The two main presidential candidates – Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump – have announced new policies on the campaign trail.
Harris, the Democratic nominee, has said she will cap working families’ childcare costs at no more than 7 per cent of their incomes. She also introduced a US$6,000 child tax credit for parents of newborns to buy essentials without forgoing other necessities.
Republican candidate Trump, meanwhile, was asked about childcare last month where he said: “It’s something you have to have in this country.”
He then noted that his proposed tariffs on foreign imports will make the US better overall and “take care” of driving down costs for families.
While Trump’s running mate JD Vance suggested that grandparents should step in to help care for their grandchildren, some parents said this will not be helpful.
“My parents – they’re elderly. They cannot take care of my children. They’re trying to survive themselves,” said preschool assistant and mother-of-one Arielle Rollins, who is considering getting a second job to supplement her low income.
Both Trump and Harris have promised to make costs more affordable for parents, but mothers said they must listen to concerns or lose votes next month.
Rollins said: “Honestly, I don’t think either one will. I’m the kind of person, my parents always taught me actions speak louder than words – so in order for me to believe it, I have to see it.”
