Nearly half of young children in the United States live in a childcare desert, according to a new nationwide analysis from the Center for American Progress.
The problem is even more acute in Utah, where most counties lack an adequate number of licensed providers for children younger than age 5. Statewide, licensed providers meet only about 36% of the need, with rural communities facing significant shortages.
The Center for American Progress says the shortage has created a stark urban-rural divide.
Casey Peeks, the center's senior director of early childhood policy, said policymakers often focus on affordability because child care costs are out of reach for many American families. But she said cost is not the only challenge.
“You can make childcare free for every family living in a rural community tomorrow, but that's not going to solve the access piece,” Peeks said. “We both need to bring down the cost for families, but we also need to think about supply solutions.”
The childcare shortage costs Utah an estimated $1.3 billion each year in wages and productivity. Peeks said inadequate staffing leads to program closures, fewer options, and higher costs.
Utah lawmakers passed several bills this session aimed at addressing the problem, including expanded tax credits for employers that provide child care, an increase in the Child Tax Credit, and an extension of paid maternity leave for state employees.
The annual cost of childcare in Utah is between $7,000 and $10,000. A childcare worker is paid about $15 an hour on average.
Hailey Gibbs, associate director of the center's early-childhood policy team, said the system does not sufficiently prioritize children’s needs.
While childcare is often discussed as a support for working parents, Gibbs described the sector as a “pay-to-play” system that undervalues caregivers and early educators.
“That seems to really reflect a misunderstanding about child development and the needs of young children," Gibbs said, "and also the returns that children see in their education, in their health outcomes, even in their adult earnings when they have these kinds of really enriching early opportunities.”
Gibbs said the data shows the need for comprehensive solutions that address both cost and availability, starting with better wages for childcare professionals.
She said state and federal lawmakers also need to address the lack of public investment that creates a wide gap between what families can afford and what providers need to sustain and grow programs.