From losing jobs to foregoing college classes, Tucson moms say their struggle for success comes down to one thing: affordable access to childcare.
“I was missing work once a week,” said Jessica Plumb, a mom of two who lamented about unreliable neighborhood babysitters that were never shy to cancel 30 minutes before her shift as a Walgreens manager. This conundrum weighed heavily on both Plum and her coworkers.
A better solution? Enrolling her child in a daycare program, which she was lucky enough to do.
The stability of having a daycare center to count on was the only way she could attend class at Pima Community College and work a full-time job of her own.
With no family nearby to help, Plum — like many of the 474,000 Arizona parents with children ages infant to 5 years old — affordable, quality childcare is one of the only options that allows parents to reenter the workforce and contribute financially to their households.
“I like my job, but I would like to look for something else, as well. To do that I would need to be able to have (6-month-old son Vincent) in childcare. Everything is on hold for me,” said Tucson mom Sara Bell. “I have to be on hold for him.”
Instead, Bell, who works from home, makes time for part-time work between naps and feedings. It’s not an ideal situation, but one that works for her family.
Bell said prices have gone up since her 7-year-old son attended day care centers, leaving Bell with limited options.
“It didn’t make any sense to (enroll Vincent),” the exhausted mom explained. “It’s frustrating. I would like to go back to work but it doesn’t make sense to do that because that would mean I’m working for basically free.”
Working toward her master’s degree, and taking on internships left and right, 23-year-old Tucson mom Elizabeth Hall is almost on her way to becoming a school counselor, but that dream was almost dashed.
“I almost had to leave,” said Hall, who is already stressing about childcare for when her April internship begins.
“It’s such a shame because I’ve come so far to do what I want to do and support my family,” Hall said. “I will when I graduate, but I can’t do that now.”
Instead of juggling work with childcare and school, a Helios Education Foundation survey of 306 parents released last week shows that nearly 30% of parents end up quitting their jobs. That statistic rises for parents of color and low-income residents.
“Either I pay what I make (per day) to have my son raised by someone else, or I stay home and don’t work. Either way I end up losing so much of my income anyways,” Hall said. “It would be very helpful to have some help with that.”
Luckily, Plum has found a way to afford childcare for her 4-year-old.
Pima Community College, where she attends, has partnered with local daycare centers to help provide affordable access to childcare. Pima Community College pays a portion of Plum’s daycare costs. The rest of the cost is covered by a scholarship awarded by the center.
Without those avenues of support, college wouldn’t be an option.
“I just wouldn’t go (to work),” Plum said. “But that wouldn’t work.” Despite her husband working full-time, if Plum leaves her job there just wouldn’t be enough money to go around, she said.
“Lack of affordable childcare options is not just an inconvenience for parents in this state. It is holding back our economy,” said Michael Guymon, President and CEO of the Tucson Chamber of Commerce. “Parents need care for their children so they can go to work or school. Parents need to know that their children are well cared for in a quality setting and employers want a workforce that can focus on work.”
So, whether it’s skipping shifts, dropping out of class, or forgoing that job, moms have seen the grave impact unaffordable childcare has had on their lives.
“I’m really freaking out now. I’m not sure I’ll be able to do my internship in April,” said student and mother Sara Bell. “My options are pretty short.”
