Licensed, Regulated, and Struggling: The Reality of Child Care

Over the last few weeks, I continue to see providers in my community struggling to fill their spots, worried they may have to close their doors.  At the same time, I see parents searching for child care and sharing their frustration over the cost.

This is not just a local problem. This is happening across the country.

Here in Kansas, we are also dealing with changing licensing requirements, which have contributed to the rise of unlicensed and unregulated care. And in the middle of all of this are the licensed providers who are feeling increasingly unvalued, overwhelmed and defeated.

As a child care provider of 30 years, I wear many hats… teacher, cook, cleaner, nurse, bookkeeper, counselor, mentor — the list goes on and on. But my least favorite title is accountant… the manager of the money. 

Running a child care business means constantly balancing the needs of the children and families with the financial reality of keeping my doors open. And honestly, the financial side is not the part of this job I ever dreamed I would spend so much time worrying about.

We all know the cost of everything is going up…food, supplies, cleaning products, training, licensing requirements, utilities, insurance, and let's not forget TAXES!

And yet, we are also expected to keep the cost of child care affordable for families…families who are also struggling.

So where does that leave us? The licensed child care provider…the person actually caring for the children?

When you have conversations about the financial struggles of child care, people will say,

“Just raise your rates"...but it isn't that simple.

Raising my rates could mean families can no longer afford care. That could mean losing families, lowering enrollment and ultimately bringing in less income.

Then there is the suggestion to hire help.

First, finding someone who is qualified and dependable is not easy. Then there is the cost of payroll taxes and everything else that comes with being an employer. What is supposed to be help can sometimes feel like another responsibility added to an already overflowing plate.

I got into teaching because I love children…I wanted to make a difference. I never imagined that loving and caring for children would also mean worrying about my finances, my business and my retirement.

On most days, I am working with children for 10 hours. Add in the cleaning, paperwork, planning and preparation, and I can easily look at a 12

hour workday.  Then it’s time to take care of my own family and personal needs, all while thinking about what needs to be done for my classroom the next day, the next week, the next month.

I didn't write this to complain. I truly love my job. I love my families and the children I am blessed to care for.

But we have to be honest…the system is not working. I wish I had the answer.

What I do know is that licensed child care providers should not have to struggle financially while providing “essential” care to children and families. (I say essential in quotations…because at one point not long ago we truly were looked at as essential workers in our communities and that seems to be slipping away)

Licensed providers should not have to constantly worry about their next inspection, what new regulations are coming, or what additional fees will be added to an already overwhelming list of expenses…while at the same time being expected to compete with unlicensed and unregulated care.

If the state of Kansas is going to require licensed providers to meet specific health, safety, training and regulatory requirements, then those providers deserve to be valued, supported and protected.

Lawmakers cannot continue to place more regulations, costs and expectations on the providers who are working hard to operate legally and responsibly, while allowing unlicensed and unregulated care to become an alternative simply because it can operate with fewer requirements and fewer costs.

This isn't about asking for special treatment. It's about asking for a level playing field.

Policymakers need to recognize that licensed child care providers are running small businesses while providing an essential service. Licensed providers are willing to follow the rules…but lawmakers cannot continue adding to the financial and regulatory burden and then be surprised when licensed providers can no longer afford to stay open.

We need support.

We need affordable training.

We need reasonable regulations.

We need a system that supports families AND providers.

And most importantly, we need a system that recognizes and values the people who show up every day to care for our children.

Because when licensed providers can no longer afford to stay open, families don't just lose a child care spot…children lose a trusted caregiver and our communities lose an essential part of their support system.