WQIO Ohio's Super Station
Child care providers, employers, policymakers and community leaders gathered in Mansfield this week to discuss one of the region’s growing challenges: making child care more accessible and affordable for families.
Nearly 50 people attended a community conversation Tuesday at The Ohio State University Mansfield as part of an effort to identify potential solutions to child care challenges throughout north central Ohio.
The event was hosted by Source Media Properties in partnership with Groundwork Ohio and the Richland County Foundation’s Women’s Fund.
The discussion was part of the larger It Takes a Village: Why Child Care Is Everyone’s Business reporting project, which has examined child care access, affordability and quality throughout the region.
Organizers say the issue reaches far beyond families with young children.
Child care challenges can affect schools, employers, workforce participation and the broader economy.
A U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation report estimates insufficient child care costs Ohio’s economy $5.48 billion each year. That includes an estimated $3.97 billion in losses to employers from child care-related employee turnover and absenteeism and another $1.52 billion in lost state tax revenue.
The same report found that 70% of parents with young children had missed work or class at least once during the previous three months because of child care issues.
Groundwork Ohio is traveling throughout the state to hear directly from communities and gather ideas for potential solutions. The organization has been holding community forums, roundtable discussions and visits with child care providers.
Local foundation leaders say collaboration could play an important role in addressing the problem.
Lisa Lloyd of the Knox County Foundation said the discussion highlighted opportunities for partnerships between businesses, nonprofit organizations and other community groups.
The effort comes as communities across north central Ohio continue looking at how child care availability affects families and the local workforce.
