UNDERSTANDING THE CHILD CARE CRISIS
If you’re a working parent, you know how much reliable child care impacts your family’s stability. Without it, parents are forced to make tough choices about work, budgets, and quality of care. This is the reality for so many families, and with child care costs soaring well beyond what many can afford (not to mention the cost of living in San Diego), everyone is asking the same thing:
Why is affordable child care so difficult to find?
THE REAL COST (FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED)
Despite how inflated prices may seem, what families pay for child care hardly reflects its true cost. According to the California Child Care Resource Center, providers charge 30% to 60% less than what it actually costs to deliver quality care.
Meanwhile, child care providers continue to work long hours without the pay, benefits, or resources they need to sustain or grow their programs. This financial strain is one of the key reasons why the child care system can’t keep up with the growing demand for care.
THE GAP BETWEEN NEED AND AVAILABILITY
In most parts of San Diego County, there simply aren’t enough licensed child care options to meet the needs of families. This shortage is fueling what experts call child care deserts: large areas where the need for child care greatly exceeds what’s available.
Today, 43% of San Diego County is classified as a child care desert.
This isn’t about a lack of physical space. It’s driven by staffing shortages, low reimbursement rates, and limited resources that prevent providers from expanding their programs. The result? Fewer child care options, longer waitlists, and a system that’s stretched far too thin for everyone involved.
THE ECONOMIC IMPACT
Families and providers aren’t the only ones feeling the pressure of limited resources; businesses are paying the price too. With so few child care options, working parents are left with no choice but to cut back on hours, turn down promotions, and leave the workforce entirely.
Each year, businesses in the U.S. face a staggering loss of $4.4 billion due to child care related absenteeism.
The ripple effect is clear. Without affordable child care, businesses lose talent, and entire communities lose momentum and growth. So how do we begin to solve a child care crisis that touches every part of our community?
INTRODUCING THE CHILD CARE DATA DASHBOARD
When a system is under this much strain, we can’t fix it in the dark. That’s where the data comes in!
YMCA Childcare Resource Service (CRS) developed the Child Care Data Dashboard to shine a light on the realities of child care in our community. This interactive tool pulls together local data on affordability, accessibility, and economic impact, giving policymakers a clear view of where gaps exist and what’s at stake. With this resource, leaders can see the full picture and make smarter, data-driven decisions to strengthen child care for families, providers, and our economy.
Download the Child Care Data Dashboard here
About YMCA Childcare Resource Service
For over 40 years, YMCA Childcare Resource Service has been a trusted agency in San Diego County, connecting families to accessible, quality child care programs. As the only state-funded child care resource and referral agency and one of two child care subsidy distributing agencies in the county, we are deeply committed to ensuring that all families have access to child care that meets their unique needs.
Through our extensive network and comprehensive database, we match thousands of families with licensed child care providers and administer millions of dollars in child care subsidies each year. By facilitating these important connections between families and child care, we can ensure children are learning and parents can continue earning.
To learn more about YMCA Childcare Resource Service and how we can support your child care needs, please visit our website at ymcasd.org/crs.