Pay the Rent or Pay for Child Care: Families Denied Child Care Assistance Face Tough Choices

Low- and moderate-income families in New York City who are unable to receive child care assistance struggle to afford good-quality child care that allows children to learn and parents to work, according to a recent case study by the Center for Children’s Initiatives (CCI). While the study was small – it was based on interviews with 83 families eligible for, but unable to receive, child care assistance – its findings are consistent with those of numerous studies of families on waiting lists for child care assistance conducted over several years. When financially strapped families cannot get help paying for care, they often find it challenging to afford the reliable child care that parents need to get and keep a job and stay focused at work, and that children need for a strong start.

Parents who were interviewed by CCI were aware of the research showing the positive impacts that good-quality child care could have on children’s development, and many of them expressed frustration over the fact that it was out of reach for their own children. One parent said, “If I had more money, I would have a caregiver with more experience and fewer children.”  

Concerns about the quality of their children’s care affected parents’ productivity at work. A mother who was using unregulated care and had to change her child care arrangements twice in one year said, “I am distracted at work, due to anxiety and worry.” The lack of reliable care also resulted in about half of the parents in the study missing days of work, training programs, or classes (38 parents) or arriving late to or leaving early from work, training programs, or classes (42 parents). In some cases, parents were unable to accept a job offer or had to quit a job because they could not work without child care.

Parents who managed to pay for good-quality care often did so by making sacrifices, such as finding a second job or cutting back on their food budget, and sometimes were unable to pay their rent or other bills on time.

Some parents were told that they would receive higher priority for receiving child care assistance if they went on welfare, but resisted doing this because they were determined to support themselves. “It seems like you can only get help if you declare poverty and go on welfare. I don’t want to do that as a single mom,” said one parent.

Almost half of the parents were able to rely on relatives to provide child care at no or little cost. In many cases, this arrangement worked out well because it allowed their children to have dependable care from a trusted caregiver. Yet, providing care can also place a strain on relatives, some of whom have their own financial concerns. In addition, many families do not have the option of turning to relative care because they do not have a relative living close by and available to provide care.

The challenges faced by families in this study are likely also faced by families on the waiting list for child care assistance in the 22 states that have them. To prevent more families from being denied the help they need and having to make such painful choices – between paying the rent or paying for child care, between keeping a job and ensuring good care for one’s child – it is essential for policy makers to make investing in child care a top priority.