Inaccessible, Unaffordable Child Care Hurts MA Families – Public News Service
By Kathryn Carley
Massachusetts ranks first in the nation for education and children's health but a lack of quality child care poses great challenges for families, according to a new report.
The 2023 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation gives the Commonwealth high marks for child well-being overall. However, it said there is not enough child care and too many families can't afford it, which ultimately affects the state's economy.
Adam Jones, policy analyst at the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, said a lack of child care options is negatively affecting too many couples' family planning.
"People who may really love certain parts of the state, love certain cities, love where they even grew up are making hard choices about raising families there," Jones observed.
The report found 12% of Massachusetts' children under age six lived in families in which someone quit, changed, or refused a job due to problems getting child care in the past few years. It showed women are five to eight times more likely than men to experience negative employment consequences related to caregiving.