Tough Times Hit the Daycare Industry

Just a few short years ago, child care was one of the fastest growing, most stable industries in the United States.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted that jobs for childcare workers would grow faster than the average for all occupations between 2006 and 2016, because there would be more parents who work and more children to watch.  Today, the Associated Press reports that daycare centers are struggling to fill their seats and pay their employees as cash-strapped families pull their children out or reduce their hours.

Many parents choose to stay home, finding that their salaries aren’t sufficient to cover childcare and leave anything left over.  Others have to work, and choose unconventional hours, unlicensed child care providers, or dangerous options born of desperation such as leaving children unsupervised.   In many areas waiting lists for subsidized child care number in the 10s of thousands.

Childcare may not be the best business to become involved in this year, but don’t count it out completely as a career option.  As government begins to respond to the nationwide financial crisis, day care assistance programs may grow.  The number of parents and children in need of quality childcare has not declined at the same rate as the ability of working families to foot the bill.