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| State Senator Tim Nangle of Windham and Maine Senate President Mattie Daughtry of Brunswick speak with Hannah Marshall, the Executive Director of Space to Thrive of Windham and Raymond, during the first stop of the Maine Statewide Child Care Listening Tour at Sebago Lake State Park. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
“It was a memorable day listening to the staff from Space to Thrive share their experiences,” Nangle said. “I walked away deeply moved by their dedication and concerned by the challenges they face. These jobs are essential, yet the people doing them are stretched thin and too often underappreciated. We owe it to them, and to Maine families, to keep looking for ways to strengthen our childcare system.”
Space to Thrive is a nonprofit that serves families in Windham and Raymond through both early childhood education and school-age care. During the visit, providers spoke about workforce shortages, funding challenges and the importance of programs that support both educators and parents.
“What stood out to me was how much these programs mean to local families,” Nangle said. “The challenges are real, but so is the commitment of the people doing the work every day. What I heard from these childcare professionals will stick with me and guide my work in the legislature.”
Maine is facing an ongoing childcare crisis that is driven by insufficient supply of providers and facilities, high costs for families, and low wages for childcare workers. All of these issues have created a major economic drain, costing Maine millions annually in lost productivity and revenue as childcare providers struggle with low pay and inconsistent state reimbursements, while families find it difficult to afford basic care.
Wage data cited from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics are telling and reveal that the childcare sector nationally has become less competitive relative to other low-paying occupations when compared to a thriving and competitive labor market and it continues to be less attractive for potential workers.
In 2021, there were only nine occupations with median wages lower than those of childcare workers and in 2022, there were only five. Coming out of the pandemic, childcare jobs did not become more competitive when compared to any of other occupations or to other essential care and education occupations that require highly skilled work but paying lower wages.
Besides not being financially beneficial for many providers, childcare in Maine is becoming outlandishly expensive for families. A statewide survey recently indicated that a married couple in Maine with a single child is spending 11 percent of their family income on childcare expenses. The federal average for affordable childcare nationally is 7 percent of a family’s income.
Childcare center owners in Maine are not currently able to raise wages without shifting costs to families and many of these parents are struggling to afford childcare and make basic ends meet. This has thrown the state childcare system into a crisis where many parents, including Windham and Raymond, are experiencing closures and ever-increasing waitlists.
A survey conducted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children has revealed that 85 percent of childcare centers in Maine face staffing shortages, with low wages being the primary impediment to recruitment.
Daughtry is currently conducting a Statewide Child Care Listening Tour that includes stops at community childcare centers, public pre-K partnerships, Head Start programs and nonprofit organizations across the state. The goal is to spotlight innovative solutions, identify gaps in service and elevate the voices of those most impacted by Maine’s childcare crisis.
Along with the listening tour, parents, businesses and early educators are invited to complete a survey to share their childcare experiences at www.tinyurl.com/supportkidssupportmaine. <
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