Childcare Solutions for a Changing Workforce
In a post-pandemic world, our work demands… and childcare needs are changing
One good thing that has come out of the pandemic? Parents no longer feel gaslighted by the expectation that their work day should be from 9-5 in an office, behind a desk. Did that ever really work?!
Over the past 2+ years, working parents have been getting their work done at home, while also trying to ensure their kids are kept alive, educated through virtual school, getting some level of physical activity and hopefully still learning the basic social skills that we used to take for granted. There has been some pretty heroic stuff happening in homes across America. And while it has been HARD, one silver lining is the realization that the “facetime” culture (meaning, time in the office = productivity) of yore is absurd.
Today’s workforce has a new superpower. The understanding that they can do their job as part of their lives, instead of apart from their lives. There will be few employees who will resubscribe to the 9-5 office workday again, which is a win for families, mental health and society, but still leaves one BIG problem for working parents… how do you find childcare to match your new, flexible work schedule?
As many have learned (and now felt first-hand, thanks to the pandemic), we have a systemic childcare crisis in our country that has gotten worse. A quick refresher:
51% of American families (pre-pandemic) lived in “childcare deserts” where there are 3+ kids who need care for every open childcare slot
33% of the childcare workforce disappeared since the outset of the pandemic and has still never recovered
16,000 childcare centers and licensed family childcare programs closed permanently between December 2019 and March 2021
$13 Billion (annually) is the amount of lost income to parents with young children under the age of 5 due to disruptions in childcare/careers
The lack of childcare supply available to American families means a few things for the childcare industry… and for moms.
1. Most childcare providers want/need full time commitments, Monday - Friday
It’s difficult for daycare centers to hire a labor force, in general, much less hire a labor force that can cover flexible/drop-in childcare hours for their clients. This leaves families who need different schedules in a pinch when it comes to flexible childcare solutions.
2. Lack of childcare resources means lack of access to income opportunities… especially for moms.
During the pandemic, 3.5 million working moms left the workforce due to a lack of childcare. Now that childcare resources have dropped even lower (with little signs of recovery), many families are struggling to figure out how to make ends meet on one income. Opportunities to actually earn an income while you are home, caring for your children, don’t really exist.
3. Even if you have childcare, when it shuts down or falls through, there are no back-up options.
Even if you are one of the lucky ones with scheduled childcare, there are always times when things fall through (COVID exposure, childcare provider is sick, vacation schedules, you name it!). The reality of being a working parent is being constantly on-edge for when the other shoe (meaning your childcare) will drop and knowing how that will disrupt your schedule / life for an indeterminate amount of time. It’s stressful!
While the situation looks grim, there are some glimmers of hope that have been born out of the pandemic. The hybrid work model that is emerging out of the pandemic has drawn the attention of much-needed financial support, aimed at new approaches to childcare that work better for families. Funding for childcare and pediatric startups spiked 3x from $394M - $1.2B between 2020 and 2021, according to PitchBook data. This is helping to fund some new options for parents that are pretty exciting.
Brella is a new drop-in childcare and early education center, which offers a flexible, premium childcare experience for young children. The team at Brella is working to create high quality, educational programs that are 100% flexible for parents who have hybrid schedules or need back-up care. Their centers are beautiful and help to show what’s possible when you think differently about a daycare solution.
June Care is another new model, which was started in California in August of 2021. June Care is a platform which connects parents who need childcare with qualified host parents (typically stay-at-home moms) who can care for their kids. The beauty of the June Care model is it’s perfect for hybrid, back-up, part-time or temporary childcare needs. Additionally, it’s an opportunity for neighbors and communities to come together in support of each other - whether that’s allowing a mom who is home with her kids to earn an income while parenting, or helping a mom who needs childcare easily find a premium, very low-ratio childcare solution, right in her own neighborhood. June Care’s host parents are background checked and screened for quality and safety, in fact 95% of June Care Hosts have previous, professional childcare experience… and are moms.
So, ending on some good news. We are entering into a new time and approach to work/life balance that might actually achieve “the balance” we’ve talked about for so long, but didn’t really exist. The pandemic was like a big magnifying glass on what’s been broken about our work culture… and what’s broken about our childcare infrastructure. Today’s workforce will demand more flexibility in their jobs, with a focus on outputs (what is actually delivered) vs. inputs (how many hours were spent in a building) and that is a GREAT thing. As a fast-follow, there are unique models emerging to help create new social safety nets for families who need them. These solutions are creating accessible childcare resources for the families… and, in the case of June Care, new income opportunities for parents who want/need to stay home with their kids.
Let’s not strive to return to “normal.” Normal wasn’t working for working parents or for stay-at-home parents. Instead, let’s look forward and continue to push for new, better ways to raise and support our families, together. Onwards and upwards (they say).
