As families across Ohio are continuing to struggle in order to afford adequate childcare, the impact stretches far beyond their lives directly. This strain on families is worsening Ohio’s workforce challenges.
Ohio’s upcoming budget includes an urgent opportunity to make critical investments in child care at a time when these issues may be more challenging than ever before for parents, children, businesses, and the overall economy alike.
According to a recent poll by Groundwork Ohio, the strain is high.
Data Highlight 1: More than two-thirds of non-working or part-time working Ohio moms say they would go back to work if their child had access to high-quality and affordable child care.
Data Highlight 2: Nearly four-in-10 working parents (38%) say they have had to miss work, leave early, or lose focus because of challenges with child care.
Data Highlight 3: Almost one-third of working parents (32%) say they have lost more than five days of work in the past two years because of a lack of child care.
Data Highlight 4: Four-in-10 working parents (40%) have cut back on their work hours to care for their children
Data Highlight 5: 80% of Ohioans, including 69% of Republicans, believe funding should be increased for child care.
