BY THE NUMBERS: COVID-19’S IMPACT ON CHILD CARE
Utah
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 Utah. Of those surveyed:
› While most programs responding to the survey are open, 81% are serving fewer children now than they were prior to the pandemic. Overall, average enrollment is down by 53%.
› 29% of child care programs are certain that, without additional public assistance, they will close permanently.
› 83% of respondents agree with this state’s guidelines for child care; of those who don’t agree, one in ten are concerned that they don’t do enough to protect health and safety.
› 97% of programs are paying more for cleaning supplies; 55% for personal protective equipment; and 52% are paying more for staff and personnel costs.
› Respondents were asked what supports their program received to help it survive: 9 programs said they received the Paycheck Protection Program, including 4 large child care programs and 5 small child care programs; of these, two are family child care homes and two are minority-owned businesses.
› 38% of programs responding to the survey have engaged in furlough, pay cuts, or layoffs.
› Assuming they are operating at 80% of capacity or less, 52% of programs responding to the survey expect to close within six months, if they don’t receive additional public support.
• According to the Center for American Progress, 39,033 licensed child care slots are at risk of disappearing, which represents 73% of licensed child care slots.
• In March, 22 child care providers in Utah responded to a NAEYC survey reporting that59% 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 209 child care providers responding in Utah indicated that 26% of child care programs were completely closed, with another 63% open only for children of essential workers, and 63% operating under modified rules.
› Of providers who are still open, 77% are operating at less than 50% capacity.
› 25% of respondents reported needing to either lay off or furlough employees, or reported being laid off or furloughed themselves. Another 31% anticipated such actions occurring in the next 1-4 weeks.
› 33% of respondents said they have applied for an SBA Loan. 69% were either worried about being able to pay back a loan or did not want to take out new loans.
• Utah received $40.4 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
The Salt Lake Tribune: Utah child care centers develop new summer routines during COVID-19 to stay open for families
[1] Indicates states with sample sizes of fewer than 30 providers. These results should be interpreted with caution.
