Universal child care could allow more than 100,000 women in California to join the workforce and contribute as much as $23 billion to the state’s economy, according to a new report from Stanford University.
Although free child care offers the most benefit to families, a robust and affordable early childhood education program could also generate substantial returns for the state. The report said a program targeting low- and middle-income families would cost between $4 billion and $8 billion a year.
Child care has become increasingly unaffordable, with families spending up to 25% of their income on infant and child care, according to the study.
“Every dollar invested in high-quality early childhood care and education can generate returns of three dollars or more through increased parental labor supply, improved child outcomes, more productive businesses, and the resulting economic growth,” Chloe Gibbs, an author of the study, said.
A companion study from UC Irvine and UC Berkeley found that 600,000 children younger than age 3 lack access to licensed care. Its authors outlined a plan to deliver affordable, quality child care while working toward universal child care.
“California’s child care crisis is choking off opportunities for families and undermining our economic potential,” Avo Makdessian, executive director of First 5 Association of California, said. “Beyond the well-documented benefits to young children, this new research confirms that investing in child care delivers significant gains for both California families and our economy.”
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