Parents would take a pay cut for child care benefits

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Feb 15, 2024, 07:45 ET

Parent Confidence Index highlights the increasing importance of child care to working parents;
6 out of 10 parents confirm that finding child care is becoming more difficult

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., Feb. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The results of KinderCare Learning Companies' fifth annual Parent Confidence Index, a national study conducted in partnership with The Harris Poll, highlights the increasing importance of high-quality child care to America's working families. The study found that child care benefits are a must-have for working parents, especially as organizations mandate return to office protocols and hope to retain employees. It also highlights the continued challenge America's families face when attempting to find child care.

Working parents said there is a gap between the child care benefits they need and what their employers provide: 65% of parents would stay at their job if their employer provided subsidized child care, yet only a quarter of parents surveyed say their employer offers a child care benefit.

"Child care is more important than ever for America's working families, whether it's through employer-sponsored benefits, expanding child care access in communities nationwide or through continued government support for working families," said Tom Wyatt, Chairman and CEO of KinderCare Learning Companies. "This underscores the importance of our continued work in partnering with policymakers, communities, schools and employers to bring high quality child care to even more families."

As well as being a key benefit to working parents, the study also found that access to quality care remains a key concern, with nearly half of parents saying that finding child care feels "impossible" and 68% saying they believe government should offset the cost of child care. In addition, more than 70% of parents are contemplating adapting their careers to be able to care for their children.

Employers can find more information about KinderCare's customized family benefits here.

The full 2024 KinderCare Parent Confidence Index can also be found here.

Methodology
The Parent Confidence Index was first conducted in 2019. This year's survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of KinderCare from November 3, 2023, to November 15, 2023, among 2,004 parents with children aged 12 and younger representing a national sample. Within the sample, 1,177 parents with children ages 5 and under and 827 parents with children ages 6-12 were surveyed.

About KinderCare Learning Companies^®A leading provider early childhood and school-age education and care, KinderCare builds confidence for life in children and families from all backgrounds. KinderCare supports hardworking families in 40 states and the District of Columbia with differentiated flexible child care solutions to meet today's dynamic work environment:

In neighborhoods, with KinderCare^® Learning Centers that offer early learning programs for children six weeks to 12 years old and with Crème de la Crème^®, which offers a premium early education model using a variety of themed classrooms;
At work, through KinderCare Learning Companies for Employers™, providing customized family benefits for employers across the country, including employer-supported child care benefits, on-site and near-site early learning centers and back-up care for last-minute child care, and
In local schools, with Champions^® before and after-school programs.

KinderCare programs meet the highest standards, validated by independent, third-party evaluation including:

Gallup, measuring workforce engagement,
National Association for the Education of Young Children, ensuring individual early learning center quality,
Cognia, accreditation for before- and after-school programs
BRIGANCE^® and TerraNova^® assessments of children's academic progress and achievement, and
WELL Health-Safety Rating™, validating health and safety practices in our facilities.

Headquartered in Lake Oswego, Oregon, KinderCare operates more than 2,000 early learning centers and sites. In 2023, KinderCare earned its seventh Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award – one of only four organizations worldwide to achieve this milestone for seven consecutive years. To learn more, visit KC-Learning.com.

Media Contact

Colleen Moran
KinderCare Learning Companies^®503-872-1300, option 3
[email protected]

SOURCE KinderCare Learning Companies