Child care costs continue to create challenges for working families across Arizona. In Yavapai County, the issue is also affecting employers, the workforce, and the ability of parents to return to work. Representative Selena Bliss recently sat down with Rebecca Gau of Stand for Children Arizona to discuss these challenges and possible solutions.
According to Gau, center-based child care in Arizona can cost nearly $16,000 per year, or about $1,300 per month for one child. For families with two or more children, those costs can quickly become difficult to manage. As a result, some parents are delaying their return to the workforce. Others are delaying plans to grow their families. Meanwhile, employers continue to face workforce shortages.
The need is especially important in Yavapai County. Gau said the county has nearly 9,000 families with children under age five. Many households also have both parents working. However, child care assistance remains limited. Arizona has thousands of children on a waiting list for child care subsidies, while hundreds of children in Yavapai County already rely on the program.
Access to quality providers is another challenge. Gau said the region has only 17 highly rated early childhood facilities recognized through the First Things First quality program. At the same time, Arizona leaders are discussing how to modernize funding for early childhood programs. Current funding relies in part on tobacco-related revenue. However, traditional tobacco use has declined while newer nicotine and vaping products have become more common. Gau said updating that funding system could help protect early childhood programs across the state.
Stand for Children Arizona is also advocating for additional support for families. That includes continued child care assistance and changes to Arizona’s child tax credit. Gau said the organization would like to see the state’s credit increase and become refundable. Supporters believe these policies could help families cover everyday expenses while making it easier for parents to remain in the workforce.
Ultimately, the conversation highlighted the connection between affordable child care and Arizona’s economy. More affordable care could help parents return to work, support employers that need workers, and give young children access to important early learning opportunities.
Learn more about Rebecca Gau and the work of **Stand for Children Arizona** at the organization’s website: https://stand.org/arizona/
