Elevating Child Care
Stabilizing and ultimately growing the pool of qualified early educators is key to addressing the shortage of child care in Kent County. Child care providers are business owners; some operate home-based care completely on their own, while others run a center. Centers range from small to large and the number of employees is based on capacity and ratios. Across the board, they are among our economy’s lowest paid workers, with average earnings of $13 an hour statewide.
Many family child care owners do not pay themselves a set salary, but rather their income is the net revenue after all expenses have been paid. This approach drastically undervalues home-based providers, and often results in income equivalent to less than $5 per hour.
Child care centers also face significant challenges, including low wages, lack of qualified staff, and rising costs. Addressing these issues is crucial to meeting the needs of families and improving outcomes for children. Providers require support in finding qualified staff, paying competitive salaries and benefits, and managing administrative tasks. Additionally, they express a need for training and coaching to better serve children with special needs and behavioral health challenges.
First Steps Kent is working to address the child care business challenges through the Mainspring Early Care Alliance. Mainspring works hand-in-hand with early childhood care and education businesses to co-create a system that is provider-centered and relationship-driven. Read more about Mainspring on page 16.
Another way to elevate the profession is to make sure people understand the profession.
There is great importance in using the correct terminology and unifying terms in the sector, emphasizing the importance of this accuracy for both professionals and the public. Some of the common terminology is below.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) defines an Early Childhood Educator as someone responsible for caring for and facilitating the learning of children during their early years.
Early Learning Settings include but are not limited to child care homes, child care centers, public schools, state-funded preschool, Head Start, faith-based programs and more.
Early Childhood Roles include child care home business owner, child care center director, lead teacher, home visitor, teaching assistant, early childhood special education specialist, and more. Using this accurate terminology helps convey the importance and professionalism associated with these roles.
"In the world of early childhood education and care, accurate terminology matters. Using the correct terms not only reflects the professionalism and dedication of early childhood professionals but also helps the general public understand the importance of the sector.” - Kristen Sobolewski, VP of Early Care and Education, First Steps Kent
Child Care Numbers to Note
- The child care crisis is costing Michigan's economy $2.88 billion a year.
- 14% of parents left their job in the last 6 months due to child care issues.
- 560,000 children under age 6 need child care, but Michigan only has the licensed capacity to serve 31% of them.
- Kent County has 3 child care slots for every 10 children ages 0 to 2.
- 37% of young children are in the “missing middle” – families between 200% and 400% of the federal poverty level, who are not eligible for child care subsidies but struggle to afford quality care.
Sources: Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Grand Rapids Chamber, IFF report for WK Kellogg Foundation