It’s summer, and while most kids think about all the fun they’re going to have over the next couple of months, parents are thinking about childcare.
Of course, for families with younger children, it's a full-time concern. Childcare costs in Nevada are among the highest in the country. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says the average cost of full-time, center-based childcare in the state ranges from $880 to well over $1,000 per month.
And, according to the First Five Years Fund, a national early childhood advocacy organization, 28% of working families with young children in the U.S. cannot reasonably access the childcare they want or need.
That number jumps to 66% in Nevada — the highest rate in the country.
"It's not just that they can't find the care they want; there just aren't the slots available in the state of Nevada," said Elisa Cafferata, executive director of the Children’s Advocacy Alliance, a non-profit that aims to improve child welfare across the state. "We would need to triple the number of spots we have to serve all the families that need it."
Someone who understands the intricacies of running a daycare and preschool is Chelsie Shurtleff, the director of the UNLV/CSUN Preschool at the Lynn Bennett Early Childhood Education Center. She told KNPR's State of Nevada that there are almost just as many expenses as there is money coming in.
"The profit margins, regardless, are razor-thin. We have to keep the lights on with the snacks that we're feeding the children, so the overhead for a center-based program is extremely expensive, and unfortunately — we were just talking about this in the green room — that cost is passed on to families," Shurtleff said.
A slightly cheaper alternative is home-based care. However, even that has its drawbacks, namely a lack of space. Jessica Gomez operates Little Sun Learning – Solecito School, a licensed bilingual early learning home childcare program.
"I prioritize hiring qualified staff [and] teachers who have experience and education in early childhood, so that is a big cost for us, to be able to pay our staff a fair wage for their experience," Gomez said. "Then our learning materials is a big cost. Then, of course, everyday basic supplies — toilet paper, towels, cleaning supplies."
For those who are struggling to pay for childcare, Shurtleff recommends parents learn more information by visiting Access Nevada, the Children's Cabinet, and Nevada Ready Pre-K Program.
Guests: Elisa Cafferata, executive director, Children’s Advocacy Alliance; Chelsie Shurtleff, director, UNLV/CSUN Preschool at the Lynn Bennett Early Childhood Education Center; Jessica Gomez, owner/operator, Little Sun Learning – Solecito School
