Where's My Village?
The child care industry has long been in crisis, and COVID-19 only made things worse. Now affordable, quality care is even more challenging to find, and staff are not paid enough to stay in the field. Reporter Tania Thorne knows this crisis first-hand. With three young kids and a full-time job, she's dealing the best she can. In this series, she meets people each struggling with their own childcare issues, and the providers struggling to get by.
The Search for Infant Care
No care is harder to find and more important than infant care. Providers are limited in how many babies they can take, and child care centers often lose money on infants because of staff requirements. In this episode, we meet new parents searching desperately for infant care.
On the Edge of Subsidies
The income limit for child care subsidies is very low, meaning many families make too much money for subsidies, but not enough to actually afford care. In this episode, we meet a family that is trying to walk the child care balance beam.
Childcare Providers’ Quest to Expand
If a provider wants to move to a bigger space with multiple classrooms, the search for an affordable and adequate building is near impossible. In this episode, we meet a provider looking to expand but unable to find space she can afford.
Transitional Kindergarten
Transitional Kindergarten allows 4-year-olds to attend elementary school. It provides some relief to parents, but its rollout has been rocky and included unintended consequences. In this episode, we meet a family with a kid in TK.
Special Education
For families with children who require extra help — including speech therapy, occupational therapy, or other special education — care means a patchwork of resources and appointments. In this episode, we meet a mother who's caring for her son with Down syndrome.
Is There Hope?
It feels like there's no hope for the child care industry, but some cities and counties are taking matters into their own hands. In this episode, we visit Portland, Oregon, which successfully passed a measure funding child care for all kids ages 3 and up.
