Child-Care Crisis Hindering North Carolina's Economy
Nadia Ramlagan, Producer
Monday, January 23, 2023
The state's unemployment rate for women with children younger than age 6 has reached nearly 4%, and according to a new report, around 400,000 parents across North Carolina say they've had to miss work because of a lack of child-care options.
Founder and CEO of Creative Economic Development Consulting Crystal Morphis said nationwide, 16,000 child-care centers shut their doors during the pandemic - and persistent low wages make it difficult to attract workers as those centers reopen.
She said moms of young children especially are feeling the effects.
"In North Carolina, women have about a 10% lower labor-force participation rate than men anyway," said Morphis. "Since the pandemic, there's probably still about a million women sitting on the sidelines throughout the country."
According to federal data, more than 50,000 parents nationwide missed work in December 2022 because of child-care issues.
Data show more than 26,000 North Carolina kids dropped out of preschool and child-care programs during the pandemic.
Cassandra Brooks is the director of Little Believers Academy, a preschool in Clayton. She explained that society's most essential jobs depend on parents having affordable and reliable child care.
"Then those people can't go on to work in their industries," said Brooks. "They can't go on to work at the gas stations, the grocery stores, all of these things that we utilize daily. They can't because they don't have child-care assistance."
Alexandra Porter said she's one of the lucky ones. The single mother of two from Clayton has affordable child care.
Porter said knowing her preschooler is safe and learning during the day has made it easier to continue working at her state government job.
"Being able to come to work is a blessing," said Porter, "and it feels good knowing that I have somewhere to take my child every day so that I can come into work to make my money to take care of my children. "
According to the report, more than half of North Carolina families with young children live in areas designated as "child-care deserts."
Labor Force Statistics...(number of people) Employed - With a job, (but) not at work, (due to) Childcare problems the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics 1/21/23
Catalyzing Growth: Using Data to Change Child Care (child care affordability and availability data) Childcare Aware 2022
get more stories like this via email

Social Issues
Voting rights advocates in Massachusetts are applauding Governor Maura Healey's budgetary backing of new policies stemming from last year's passage of…
Environment
Climate-change groups are calling attention to the environmental destruction linked to the wood pellet industry - even as California is considering a …
Social Issues
Many Nebraskans know how crucial a family caregiver is to one of their family members. Now AARP research has put a dollar value on that unpaid care - …
Social Issues
South Dakota is home to one of the nation's largest American Indian reservations, and the area is part of a movement among tribal nations to take …
Health and Wellness
As the cost of food, medicine and rent continues to climb, new data shows the benefits miners receive are now 40% less than what they received in 1969…
Environment
With the cost of farmland up by more than 8% percent in North Carolina, the state's Black farmers are struggling to purchase additional acreage or …
Environment
By Zachary Shepherd and Kelsey Paulus for Kent State News Lab.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Co…
Social Issues
Republican-sponsored bills and amendments in the Legislature would eliminate the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth. More than 1.5-million …