Annual survey reveals Louisiana parents struggle with the cost and availability of child care
Louisiana Policy Institute for Children Calls for Urgent Investment in Early Childhood Education
NEW ORLEANS — Today, the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children (LPIC) held a press conference releasing the results from the 2024 Louisiana Child Care Parent Poll, “Caught in the Middle: Louisiana Parents, Work, and the Struggle for Affordable Child Care,” which surveyed Louisiana parents with children under age 5 to better understand these families' child care arrangements, needs, and experiences. LPIC conducted the survey in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Education, Agenda for Children, Rotary Club of Baton Rouge, and Women United of Southeast Louisiana. The press conference was moderated by Michelle Delery, board member and chair of Women United of United Way of Southeast Louisiana, and included three parent panelists from Natchitoches, Franklin, and Orleans parishes.
This year’s survey results provide insights into the continued needs and challenges of families with young children in Louisiana.
Parents of young children in Louisiana can only work or attend school if they can access child care.
Child care costs continue to be a significant concern and burden for parents.
Many parents lack the child care needed to be able to work and provide for their families.
Finding the child care support needed is still a challenge for many families.
“Louisiana’s families are caught in the middle — struggling to afford the child care they need to stay in the workforce, yet unable to access public support,” said Dr. Libbie Sonnier, chief executive officer of LPIC. “Without meaningful investment in early childhood education, parents will continue to face economic hardship, and our state will miss out on the full potential of its workforce.”
High-quality early childhood education is critical to Louisiana’s workforce and economy. To maintain a strong and reliable workforce, policymakers must invest strategically in early childhood education, ensuring that families have the support they need to participate fully in the workforce. Research consistently shows that investing in early childhood education allows parents to work, helps businesses retain employees, and contributes to long-term economic stability. By ensuring access to quality child care, the state can reduce workforce disruptions, support employers, and build a more competitive economy. To secure these benefits now and for the future, Louisiana should:
Prioritize long-term investment in early childhood systems by continuing to invest state general funds into the Child Care Assistance Program and establish additional dedicated funding streams for the Early Childhood Education Fund in order to ensure consistent and sustainable support for working families and local funding efforts.
Incentivize businesses and employers to contribute towards child care costs for their employees and local workforce to ensure maximized economic productivity.
Establish pathways for young adults to enter the early childhood field through Fast Forward and Jump Start programs, apprenticeship programs, and scholarships to create a robust early childhood educator supply and meet the child care demands of working parents.
As one parent from the southeast region who completed the survey responded, “I quit my job to care for my child but it was over a year ago, and chose to not return to work as child care is unaffordable.”
Michelle Delery, board member and chair of Women United of United Way of Southeast Louisiana, emphasized the impact of these findings:
“Child care is not just a family issue—it’s a community issue. When families can’t access safe, affordable, and reliable child care, it affects more than the household. It alos impacts businesses, the economy, and the well-being of our children. We must come together to ensure that all families, regardless of income, have the support they need to thrive.”
More than half of parents surveyed were concerned about being able to find affordable child care that allows them to go to work.
Child care enables parents to work. More than 70% of parents reported they could not work without a reliable child care arrangement for their children.
Parents also rely on child care throughout the workday. Nearly all responding parents (90%) relied on child care for at least some part of the weekday workday (the hours of 6 am to 6 pm each day) and 76% of parents needed child care for at least 30 hours per week.
Even with their current child care arrangements in place, many parents still lack the care they need throughout the workday. Almost 70% of parents stated they had to take at least one day off of work in the last three months due to a child care disruption.
The complete findings from “Caught in the Middle: Louisiana Parents, Work, and the Struggle for Affordable Child Care” can be found here. The survey was conducted from November 7 - 27, 2024. Questions ranged from asking about child care arrangements in the past several months, ease of finding child care, personal child care expenses, family work schedules, and more. Responses were sought from all parents of young children in Louisiana, including parents who provide care or rely on extended family, friends, and neighbors for care, as well as families who rely on formal child care programs and settings, including preschool and Head Start. This year’s survey was available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. For more information on LPIC, please visit, PolicyInstituteLA.org.
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About Louisiana Policy Institute for Children
Louisiana Policy Institute for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that Louisiana's young children, from birth to age four, are best prepared for success in school and in life. The Policy Institute develops policy proposals informed by data, research, best practices and the experiences of other states to improve the outcomes of Louisiana’s youngest citizens, and further provides educational and outreach activities based on recommended policy solutions. The organization works to ensure children are safe, healthy and have opportunity to reach their full potential. For more information, visit www.policyinstitutela.org and follow the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children on Facebook and Twitter.
About Agenda for Children
Agenda for Children was founded to make Louisiana a state in which all children can thrive, by ensuring that the basic needs of children and families are met, that our children are nurtured and well taught, beginning in the early years and continuing through adolescence; that they are protected from harm; and by acting in ways that combat racism and other forms of oppression.
About Rotary Club of Baton Rouge
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work impacts lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. For more information, visit Rotary.
About United Way of Southeast Louisiana
For 95 years, United Way of Southeast Louisiana (UWSELA) has been a leader and trusted partner in improving lives and making a lasting difference. We fight to eradicate poverty by preparing people for quality jobs, growing incomes, and affording better health and education opportunities throughout Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington parishes. We have a bold vision of equitable communities where all individuals are healthy, educated, and financially stable – and we have a plan. United Way of Southeast Louisiana’s Blueprint for Prosperity guides all strategic investments in programs, initiatives, collaborations, volunteerism, and advocacy aimed at tackling poverty. For more information, please visit UnitedWaySELA.org. Find us on social: @UnitedWaySELA.