District Of Columbia

CHILD CARE IS ESSENTIAL TO
AMERICA’S ECONOMIC RECOVERY

• July state-by-state data from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) illustrates the dire circumstances for child care centers and family child care homes in the District of Columbia. Of those surveyed:

› Four child care centers and one family child care home remained closed at the time the survey was open, and nearly half of the respondents are certain that, without additional public assistance, they will close permanently.

› Of the 15 programs that are open, 86% are serving fewer children now than they were prior to the pandemic. Overall, average enrollment is down by 80%.

› All programs reported paying more for cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment; 83% of them report paying more for staff and personnel costs as well.

› Respondents were asked what support their program received to help it survive: 5 programs said they received the Paycheck Protection Program, including 4 large child care programs and 1 small child care program; of these, 2 are minority-owned businesses.

• According to the Center for American Progress, 6,596 licensed child care slots are at risk of disappearing, which represents 20% of licensed child care slots 

• In March, 19 child care providers in Washington, D.C. responded to a NAEYC survey reporting that 10% would not survive closing for more than two weeks without significant public investment and support that would allow them to compensate and retain staff, pay rent, and cover other fixed costs. 

• A second survey in April with 75 child care providers responding in Washington, D.C. indicated that 88% of child care programs were completely closed.

› Of providers who are still open, 71% are operating at less than 25% capacity. 

› 14% of respondents reported needing to either lay off or furlough employees, or reported being laid off or furloughed themselves. Another 50% anticipated such actions occurring in the next 1-4 weeks.

• Washington, D.C. received $6 million in supplemental funds in the CARES Act to serve the children of front-line and essential workers and support providers yet, we know this is not enough to cover the impacts COVID-19 has had on the child care market and ensure providers will be there when the economy beings to open up. To read more about how your state has allocated its supplemental funding, click here.

MEDIA COVERAGE

Mother Jones: I’m a New Dad Scared About Pandemic-Era Day Care Safety. There’s Only One Expert I Wanted to Call.

WAMU 88.5: D.C.-Area Child Care Centers Struggle To Stay Afloat Amid The Pandemic

Washington Business Journal: Viewpoint: It takes a village to reopen child care

NBC 4 – Washington: COVID-19 Impact on Child Care

NBC 4 – Washington: Some Child Care Centers Closed Due to COVID-19 May Not Reopen