The state of childcare in the Lowcountry is marked by significant challenges, directly impacting our working families, businesses and the overall economy.
Impact: Advancing Childcare for an Evolving Workforce tackled this topic with insight from panelists Martha Strickland, State Director of 4K, South Carolina First Steps, and Linda Doherty, Community Engagement Manager at South Carolina Childcare Resource & Referral, as well as moderator Bailey Vincett, our Director of Government Relations.
Both Martha and Linda have decades of experience in the fields of childcare and early childhood education. They’ve seen the challenges faced by both families and providers firsthand, equipping them with nuanced perspective into this issue.
Here’s what we learned at Impact:
One of the biggest challenges in childcare is underfunding. Childcare centers are lacking the funding they need to add on additional teachers to meet demand. It also prevents them from paying teachers competitive wages, leading to high turnover. These issues, in turn, cause high costs and limited availability for families searching for childcare.
A multi-faceted approach is necessary to address this issue. Increased government funding, improved legislation, public-private partnerships and community support all play a part in the solution.
By implementing innovative solutions, such as public-private partnerships and increased government funding, we can create a sustainable and equitable childcare system that benefits everyone.
Improved legislation surrounding childcare is especially crucial. Legislation changes can remove significant barriers to childcare. The Chamber is actively advocating for state-level policies that ensure accessible, high-quality childcare for our region. You can learn more about specific pieces of legislation we’re placing our focus on here.
Investing in childcare is not only needed, it’s also smart business. By supporting childcare, businesses can contribute to the future success of their employees, their community and their bottom line.
Businesses can play a role in addressing the childcare crisis by offering on-site childcare, flexible work arrangements and employee assistance programs to support working parents. Companies can also advocate for policies that promote affordable, high-quality childcare.
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
South Carolina Child Care Resource & Referral helps families make informed choices about childcare, providing tools and resources to get families connected with the right programs and financial assistance.
Visit their Employer Supported Child Care Page to learn how your business can support the childcare needs of your workforce. This page contains several beneficial resources, including a survey template you can use to assess your employees’ childcare needs.
South Carolina First Steps works to ensure that all children start school ready, with support from parents, caregivers and communities. Their First Steps 4K program offers free, full-day four-year-old kindergarten to qualifying children in South Carolina.
