Families across the country rely on high-quality child care programs, so that children can learn while parents work. Before…
February 22, 2022 by Carrie Gillispie, Caitlin Codella, Aaron Merchen, Joseph Davis, Ashley Cappo 
Families across the country rely on high-quality child care programs, so that children can learn while parents work. Before the pandemic, many families — especially Black and Latino families, families with low and middle incomes, and families in rural areas — had far too little access to high-quality child care, making it challenging for them to stay in the workforce while accessing safe and nurturing learning environments for their young children.
Working parents — particularly women, parents of color, and parents who cannot work from home — have faced the tough decision to either leave the workforce or scramble to find alternative child care through relatives or unlicensed providers. Unlike K-12 public schools, in which all children are guaranteed attendance, there is no assurance that child care programs — much less high-quality ones — will be present. Some parents are wondering: “Will there be a program to go back to at all?”
Similarly, to families, child care providers, many of whom are women of color, have had to grapple with the impact of the pandemic on their business and ability to provide services. High-quality child care programs require providers to have expertise in many areas, from child development to early literacy and numeracy to social-emotional learning and more. In December 2020, 25% of child care centers and 33% of family child care homes reported that if their enrollment did not increase, and if they did not receive sufficient funding, they would be forced to close within three months.
Even before the pandemic, child care workers were among the lowest-paid workers in the nation. In 2015, more than 1 in 6 female child care workers lived below the poverty line (that’s twice the poverty rate of female workers overall), and Black and Latina child care workers with children of their own were more than twice as likely to live below the poverty line.
Before the pandemic, Black business owners already faced glaring inequities: Black Americans were less likely than White Americans to be able to start businesses and comprised only 9.4% of business owners; they were also less than half as likely to receive financing as White-owned businesses, and had particularly low access to capital. As of August 2020, 41% of Black-owned businesses had closed as a result of the pandemic and economic downturn that ensued. Since the onset of the pandemic, White business owners have been approved for Paycheck Protection Program funds at almost twice the rate of Latino business owners. According to a survey of small business owners in summer 2020, the pandemic has had a more negative impact on small businesses owned by women than on small businesses owned by men.
State and local chambers of commerce are uniquely positioned to offer urgently needed small business resources to child care providers, while also acting as a powerful connector among community leaders interested in supporting families with young children. The Education Trust and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation collaborated on interviews with child care providers and state and local chambers of commerce throughout the country that focused on these questions:
Leaders of state and local chambers across the U.S. emphasized their role as community connectors and discussed several ways in which access to child care intersects with their work. Ultimately, taking advantage of these opportunities will help families and businesses thrive, while providing young children with the high-quality learning environments they deserve.
We conducted 12 in-depth interviews with state, regional, and local chambers in seven states. An emphasis was placed on state and local chambers with child care providers in their membership or as a part of their community engagement efforts. Also, 32 in-depth interviews were conducted specifically with child care providers that focused primarily on women and individuals of color were emphasized.
Five Ways State & Local Chambers Can Support Working Families by Supporting Female Providers of Color
Share resources and information with providers about funding opportunities, health insurance, and COVID-19 related health and safety resources for small businesses. State and local chambers frequently share these types of resources with local small businesses, and providers are often searching for such resources but have difficulty finding them.
Strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, including leadership and professional development opportunities for female providers of color. State and local chambers can proactively invite female providers of color to join their organizations and other networks. They can provide information about business coaching and mentorship programs specifically designed to support small businesses owned by women and people of color.
Offer networking and marketing opportunities for providers and employers. State and local chambers can create opportunities for providers to connect with chamber members and community leaders, such as those from local financial institutions, business advisers, and community members offering professional development opportunities, higher education resources, and marketing and growth strategy supports.
List child care resources and referral information on existing state and local chamber websites to better connect child care supply with demand. State and local chamber websites often offer a multitude of resources for the local business community. Chamber leaders can help to align child care supply and demand by listing local providers, availability, and services on these websites, including specialized programs for nontraditional work schedules, so employers and families can more easily find child care programs that meet their needs and preferences.
State and local chambers can advocate for policies that support child care providers, parents and, ultimately, children in their communities by giving them a strong start. Female providers of color can join chamber members in advocating for policies that will boost access to high-quality child care that all children and families deserve.
State and local chambers of commerce are uniquely positioned to offer urgently needed small business resources to child care providers, while also acting as powerful connectors among community leaders interested in supporting families with young children. The Education Trust and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation interviewed child care providers and state and local chamber leaders across the U.S. to identify opportunities for supporting working families with young children by supporting female providers of color. Childcare Providers shared they have faced funding challenges, safety and health concerns, and barriers to talent acquisition and professional development. Several providers reported that racial and gender bias has posed challenges within their local business community. Many said they felt less supported than other businesses due to their race. Leaders from state and local chambers shared the challenges they and their business members are facing during the pandemic. This report describes these challenges and opportunities and offers recommendations for how state and local chambers of commerce can support working families by supporting female providers of color.
