LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Child care leaders addressed Kentucky's Joint Committee on Economic Development and Workforce Investment in Frankfort on Thursday to appeal for more funding for child care programs.Â
Their findings show more than 76,000 Kentuckians are not working because of barriers to child care — and the majority wants to re-enter the workforce.Â
Child care advocates said if the state doesn't step in to help working parents, thousands more will continue to leave the workforce.
State officials said funding child care is a dynamic problem that impacts child care center directors, employers and families. Officials said if legislators don't act soon to help fund child care initiatives, it will have a negative trickle down effect.
In Louisville for example, surveys found one in five child care workers will leave the field in the next three years. Those same childcare directors reported if they had more staff they'd be able to serve 11% more in the community.
Some of the issues that need to be addressed include the cost and availability for child care, as well as employers'Â willingness to work with parents to find solutions.
COVID-19 pandemic-era assistance programs have ended, leaving child care directors without staff and sometimes resulting in cuts to staff salaries.
"We need to ensure child care in Kentucky drives economic competitiveness, rather than restricting it, here in the commonwealth," said Mandy Simpson Marler, vice president of government affairs.Â
Child care directors said Thursday that can't serve more residents because they have trouble recruiting and retaining staff.
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