Taming the country’s highest child care costs – Boston Globe
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the vital role child care plays in society. Without child care, parents can’t work. High-quality child care gives children a boost when they start school.
Yet child care is expensive — especially in Massachusetts, which boasts the highest costs in the country.
Still, providers are paid too little, leading to high turnover. The mean wage for a child care worker in Massachusetts is among the highest in the country, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, but still only $40,600.
There is a need for public investment in child care, and the Commonwealth Cares for Children grants, first funded by the federal government during the pandemic, have been a game changer…Governor Maura Healey and lawmakers are discussing making the grants permanent, and they should.