Childcare struggles during pandemic highlighted in virtual town hall - Boston 25 News
By Christine McCarthy
Boston-area childcare providers, educators and parents participated in a virtual town hall Wednesday to discuss the struggles of providing and finding affordable and reliable childcare during the coronavirus pandemic.
The meeting held via Zoom and hosted by the Boston-area chapter of The Common Start Coalition, also featured State Rep. Adrian Madaro and Boston City Councilor Kenzie Bok, who stressed the need for better funding and support for early education in Massachusetts.
Farzaneh Pahlavan, Executive Director of the Newton School for Children, said her business closed in March and reopened in September with far less enrollment and income.
“We didn’t have all the parents returning, but I was obligated or felt obligated to bring back my employees who have been working for me for a long time,” Pahlavan said. “And at this point, even now, I can’t afford to pay myself - I work but I don’t get paid. But I brought the majority of my staff back, and I’m very happy for that.”
Boston parents expressed their challenges in both finding and affording childcare since the pandemic began and the state’s emergency orders temporarily shut down facilities.