SALT LAKE CITY — As the childcare crisis in Utah continues to impact whole communities and not just families, local leaders say they are hard at working trying to find solutions.
Families say they are having to choose between parents working to make ends meet or staying home to care for their kids.
"The childcare crisis is real. There is an immense need for affordable childcare and there just aren't enough places that can do that," said Jennifer Nuttall, Exec. Dir. of Neightborhood House.
The issue is one that impacts all families, including immigrants trying to build their American Dream.
"To keep their jobs, to provide for their families, but also to provide resources for their children and their family members, to be educated, to be safe, and eventually to contribute to society themselves." explained Eduardo Baca, the Counsul of Mexico in Salt Lake City
It's a crisis that stems from other community issues such as inflation and housing affordability.
"Family's income is increasingly reliant, even in the state of Utah on the mother's income. Mothers contributing to the economy and bringing money into their households," said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall.
That's where places like Neighborhood Houses are attempting to step in to bridge the gaps and help people afford safe childcare.
"If you don't have the care for your kids, its hard to find a job and leave your kids with people that you don't know," said Ariadna Morales, Asst. Manager for Children's Development and a parent at Neighborhood House. "It's really important and Neighborhood House has made a huge difference on those families."
But families can't do it all on their own, and federal dollars that were used during the pandemic are running out. Making things even harder, the Utah State Legislature did not pass funding specifically for childcare resources.
"We'll continue to work with the federal government," said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. "Obviously, that's where the funding has come from that is being removed, and so those are the discussions that are happening. The legislature holds the purse strings. We've been working really hard on this tax credit for families that will be an additional $400 for about 5,000 families that need access to childcare and we think that will go long ways, but certainly we still have more work to do.."
There's also creative solutions being looked at through community and private sector partnerships.
"More and more, businesses are recognizing that childcare should be part of the benefits that they are offering to their employees," added Cox. "So that will help. As more and more businesses open childcare facilities, that frees up other childcare openings for those that don't have that benefit in their companies."
Childcare accessibility is a community issue that impacts the workforce as a whole.
"We love having a state that can bring people into here, but if we don't have the workers to support that infrastructure, then whats going to happen?," asked Nuttall. "That's going to collapse. So all of that depends on a family having high-quality affordable childcare so they can get into the workforce, do what they need to do, and be contributing members of our community."
Those looking for childcare options that work for a wide range of families are urged to reach out to the Utah Department of Workforce Services.
