TKW Consulting

Why Child Care and Early Education Matter

FACT – Minnesota Parents Work and They Need Child Care to Stay in the Work Force

• Over 70% of Minnesota mothers of young children work, more than doubled from 30.7% in 1970.
• More than 670,000 children statewide need some kind of non-parental care
• Nearly seven in ten (68.8%) Minnesota children under six had both parents or their single parent in the labor force in 2000.
• Approximately 20% of parents say child care problems interfered with getting or keeping a job.
• 37% lost time from work in the past 6 months because of child care problems.
• Parents of young children seeking welfare benefits in Minnesota report that “help paying for child care” is the most common reason driving them to seek assistance.

FACT – Many Working Parents Cannot Afford Child Care

• The average cost of child care for two children is more than $20,000 per year – more than double the yearly undergraduate tuition at the University of Minnesota.
• Most parents of young children are at their lowest point of earning power.
• High costs of child care hit lowest income families the hardest – families earning below $20,000 annually pay, on average, 28% of their income for child care.

FACT – Quality Early Childhood Education Makes a Difference for Kids

• The first five years of life are particularly critical for brain development. Experts say more than 75% of a child’s brain is developed by age 5.
• Quality child care prepares children for school by developing higher cognitive skills, better math & reading skills, and higher educational achievement.

FACT – Early Education is a Smart Investment

• The Federal Reserve Bank of Minnesota has estimated a “return on public investment” of at least $12 for every $1 spent on quality early childhood
• Perry Preschool study found that early learning is a significant cost-benefit to society.
• Better school success means less use of juvenile and adult justice systems, better socialization, and more.

For more information or to get involved visit www.childcareworks.org

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 4:55 PM