Jefferson County alone is incurring an estimated annual economic cost of nearly $200 million due to lack of sufficient childcare for the workforce; the direct negative impact for Jeffco employers is $60 million (loss of productivity, etc.)

The supply of childcare spots has not kept up with the demand

We have:

• 67% of the spots we need in Jefferson County
• 62% of the spots we need in Colorado
• Colorado is short nearly 250,000 spots
• More than half (51%) of Coloradans live in a childcare desert – only 1 slot for every 3 needed
• 7000+ licensed infant childcare slots lost since 2011 (in Colorado) – nearly 30% of the supply

Childcare is cost-prohibitive for many

• Colorado has the 8th highest cost of childcare in the U.S.
• 55% of families report spending at least $10,000 per year on childcare
• Since 1990, average childcare costs have risen 214% – outpacing the 143% increase in average family income

Childcare businesses struggle with staffing and very low-profit margins

• 80% of childcare centers are experiencing staffing shortages; nearly half (47%) of programs experiencing staffing shortages are serving fewer children now
• Women owners of childcare businesses lack access to low-cost capital and financing to support long-term sustainability

• More than 30% of childcare professionals are considering leaving the field due to low pay and other challenges; the percentage is higher for minority-owned programs
• In 2020, the median pay for childcare workers was $12.24 per hour, 40% less than an average worker
• 33% of childcare workers receive public assistance because the pay is so low

The cost of childcare is often the main reason women leave the workplace – especially for those with multiple young children; in two-parent, two-income households where one parent has considered leaving or has left the workforce to become a primary caregiver, half (50%) say the cost of external childcare played a significant role in the decision

As with Talent and Workforce Housing, Arvada and Jefferson / Adams Counties have long lacked a coordinated effort to grow and sustain our childcare capacity