Child care costs Nevada families more than in-state college tuition, according to a report released by the Nevada Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation on Wednesday.
Executive Director Lisa Levine said that the whole state has become a child care desert.
“The access is inadequate, and then when you start to look at communities who are often overlooked and underserved, it’s even significantly higher,” she told 2 News.
Finding care for one child can top $17,000 a year, or anywhere from 40-80 percent of a family’s budget.
GOWINN says those costs are hindering businesses just as much as families.
“We hear from employers in the business community often about this workforce shortage and how it impedes their ability to prosper. … But then we also hear from Nevadans who say that they want to enter or reenter the workforce or they want to go into a workforce training program but a significant barrier and challenge they face is access to childcare,” Levine said.
The report went before the Governor’s Workforce Development Board on Wednesday, and the body voted to launch an audit. During and since the pandemic, Nevada has spent nearly $571 million in federal funding to improve child care, but a press release on the report said it’s “unclear how the funding helped families afford childcare.”
Levine is hoping the audit reveals some success stories.
“In particular, just understanding what programs worked, what programs were less effective that will help as we move forward to strengthen child care systems so that we know what we should scale up,” she said.
Solutions that GOWINN is already suggesting include using public spaces like libraries and rec centers to expand child care, and asking businesses to take advantage of federal tax credits. Both approaches could be fast, short-term fixes, Levine said.
A GOWINN survey of 511 Nevada businesses revealed that most don’t know about Section 45F – a tax credit for businesses who offer some form of child care to employees.
“That right there is an opportunity to bring more federal dollars into the state,” Levine said.
In conjunction with business solutions, GOWINN’s long-term workforce goals include increasing wages for child care providers and creating more career pathways into childcare, according to the report.
Levine said that she’s optimistic that public and private partnerships will improve the state of Nevada’s child care industry.
“If there were ever a window of opportunity for everyone to (strengthen Nevada’s childcare system), I very much believe that now is the time,” she said.
Businesses with questions about Section 45F are welcome to contact GOWINN directly – GOWINN-General@gov.nv.gov or 702-486-8080.
