Child care deserts in Texas hitting low-income families the hardest, research shows

Access to high-quality, affordable child care in the state of Texas is becoming scarcer, according to new data from Children at Risk, a nonprofit dedicated to research into child poverty and inequity in Texas. The group says there are far fewer child care providers versus the demand for child care in the state, creating child care deserts across Texas – and these deserts are particularly affecting low-income families and families with working parents.

Bob Sanborn, president and CEO of Children at Risk, spoke with Texas Standard about the new data and what it means for Texans. Listen to the interview above or read the transcript below.

Texas Standard: I think as long as certainly this I can remember, parents have complained and experienced firsthand the difficulty in finding high-quality, affordable child care. What has changed, as you see it?

Bob Sanborn: You’re right; it’s always been difficult – more importantly, it’s always been difficult to find high-quality early education. And that’s especially true for low-income families and kids growing up in low-income families. And so the pandemic comes along, and what you found is a lot of child care centers, about 20% in the state of Texas, went under. Moreover, those that are serving low-income families, we’re talking close to 70% of those shut down.

https://www.keranews.org/business-economy/2022-06-10/child-care-deserts-in-texas-hitting-low-income-families-the-hardest-research-shows