11-05-2025
Opinion: Utah, we have a problem
I believe accessible, high-quality child care should be a collective priority, not a source of conflict. Loving children and supporting their families so they can thrive should be non-negotiable. Yet, in Utah, when we raise concerns with lawmakers, we continuously take two steps forward only to take twice as many backward later. Now is the time to demand consistent and meaningful reforms in our child care system. But this time, early childhood educators, families and child care advocates must be at the table. As the saying goes, 'Nothing about us without us.'
While legislators have good intentions, historically, their proposed solutions often lack insights from the people directly affected. To create legislation, public officials must understand the complexities of caregiving and its critical role in preparing children for lifelong learning by talking to us and diving into research-based information.
We've been fortunate to pique the interest of some lawmakers, but we need them to engage further. Utah still has the highest population of children in the nation, yet we're not funding and supporting them the way we should.
We fully support a recent Utah Childcare Solutions and Workplace Productivity Plan, released by the Women in the Economy Subcommittee of the Governor's Unified Economic Opportunity Commission before the legislative session. Solutions include increasing wages for the child care workforce, supporting education models that address child behaviors, making accessibility equitable, investing in programs to make child care affordable and working with employers to expand access.
While some families are fortunate enough to enjoy a lifestyle that allows one parent to stay home to care for their child, that's not the reality for most Utah families. Today's society typically requires that both parents contribute financially. To suggest that we shift to single-income households or evoke antiquated ideas without putting systems in place to support them is disingenuous.
Working parents are overwhelmed by the cost of child care — if they can find it. In Utah, licensed programs can sufficiently serve only 36% of children under 6. It's more dire in rural communities, where much of the state is deemed a child care desert. It forces parents to miss work, quit their jobs, or leave their children in unsafe or low-quality care.
Child care is becoming more costly than college tuition. Due to stringent rules, some parents are ineligible for funding assistance. Meanwhile, child care providers face rising operational costs while trying to offer competitive wages. This, unfortunately, drives families toward unlicensed care, shifting away from the very support systems vital for children's development. It becomes a circular problem. Everyone wants to thrive. Everyone wants to care for children. But without additional funding, the system isn't sustainable.
Many child care advocates have been in this field for many years. Some of us have touched all facets of this work, from early childhood teachers and child care center directors to home providers and licensing officials. No matter our roles, we're all being dismissed by policymakers as inconsequential.
Although child care educators are essential, they are the lowest-paid workers in Utah — earning about $15 per hour. Pair that with little funding to help mitigate costs and you've got a crisis that affects children's learning and a family's survival.
We encourage children's social, emotional and cognitive growth and lifelong academic achievement. We are not babysitters. We are professionals.
Our work is critical to the survival of families, the state economy and the nation. That is why we are participating in the annual Day Without Child Care on May 12. It is the perfect opportunity to amplify the urgency of these issues. Early childhood centers, providers and families in Utah are joining us in at least 10 locations across the state. We call upon everyone who cares for and loves children to show up and make their voices heard.
As some business owners close their child care centers and parents step away from their jobs, a Day Without Child Care will provide a glimpse into how our economy could be affected by a lack of child care services. According to a U.S. Chamber of Commerce report, Utah's economy loses an annual $1.36 billion in revenue due to a lack of accessible and affordable child care programs. If providers don't work, people can't work. If people don't work, the state can't work.
Advocating for an equitable early childhood education system might seem daunting and discouraging. Still, we stand firm and advocate for it vigorously.
