CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – A University of Virginia survey found many people on a waitlist for government help with childcare are having to choose between working and taking care of their kids.
The survey was conducted this fall in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education, hoping to get a better idea of how the 13,500 on the childcare subsidy waitlist are impacted.
On average, it takes month or up to a year to get off the waitlist.
Researchers said nearly everyone who responded experienced negative employment impacts.
“The most striking and sort of big finding we saw is that in those families who were waiting on the wait list, 40% of them reported that someone in their household was unemployed but wanted to work and just couldn’t because they were taking care of a child,” said Daphna Bassok, professor of education and public policy.
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