A national survey found that childcare is more expensive ver the past year for 63 percent of parents.
A 2022 Cost of Care survey by Care.com found California ranked fourth in the nation to have the highest childcare costs. A full-time nanny in California earns $829 a week, which is 19 percent above the national average of $694.
A full-time nanny in California could earn more than $3,300 a month.
The average cost of daycare in California is $286 every week, which is 26 percent of the national average of $226.
The survey also found that more than half of families plan to spend more than $10,000 on child care every year, which is more than the cost of in-state college tuition. According to EducationData.org, the average cost of in-state tuition is $9,349.
The survey's findings were up 70 percent from pre-pandemic data, as 51 percent of families reported spending more than 20 percent of their household income on childcare, and 72 percent of parents reported 10 percent or more.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), considers child care to be affordable when it costs families no more than 7 percent of their household income.
“When it comes to child care, there are three critical criteria – cost, quality, and availability – and based on our research findings, we’ve not only failed to make progress as a country, we’ve actually gone backward,” said Natalie Mayslich, President, Consumer, Care.com.
The price of gas, groceries and even childcare has surged due to the pandemic, economic struggles, and other factors. The San Diego Foundation released two reports in April which demonstrate the continued challenges faced by San Diego County working parents in obtaining adorable child care.
One report, “Workforce, Childcare & Change: Understanding the Needs of Working Parents in the San Diego Region,” included surveys and interviews of over 850 local parents in English and Spanish; nearly half of all respondents had at least one child between the ages of 0 and 5.
The report also found that single parents were more likely to experience negative work-related impacts during the pandemic, such as shifting their schedule to care for children and/or experiencing decreased hours or job loss.
In another report, “San Diego County Childcare Landscape: An Analysis of the Supply and Demand,” conducted by the Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego on behalf of The San Diego Foundation, researchers found that the annual cost of care for one infant in a licensed childcare center in San Diego costs over $19,000; care for two children costs over $33,000 annually. Families with two young children spend a median of 40 percent of their income on childcare.
“Costs are growing while availability is shrinking and that’s having a profound impact on the workforce and consumer spending. We’ve all seen what happens when parents can’t work; making child care more affordable and accessible has to be a priority for all,” Mayslich said.
