Jason Cohen, a parent in upstate New York, faced a sudden closure of J.A.C.E. Daycare and Early Learning Center, which had been struggling with severe financial issues and defaulted on a major loan. This abrupt closure left parents scrambling and staff, many of whom had children at the center, without jobs. Stories like Cohen’s are increasingly common as pandemic-era federal aid expires and inflation raises operating costs. The child care industry, already fragile, is experiencing heightened instability. Pre-pandemic, there were significantly more children than available licensed slots, and families now spend an average of 24% of their income on child care. Despite some rebound in workforce numbers, the system remains volatile and challenging.
‘What American Families Experienced Is Not Something That You Get Over’
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