Childcare: What Utahns Need To Know

Childcare is an important consideration for millions of American families; 71% of all women with children under 18 are in the labor force, comprising one-third of the total female workforce in the U.S. Further, childcare costs are becoming increasingly burdensome; in the U.S. generally, and in 33 states specifically (including Utah), the annual cost of childcare is higher than the cost of in-state tuition at a four-year public college. Although childcare is a family and community issue, women often bear the primary responsibility for managing childcare, and, in the case of female heads of household, women may carry both breadwinning and caregiving duties with very little support. Considerable data are available surrounding childcare issues in Utah, and yet there are additional, sometimes nuanced, factors to consider when analyzing Utah’s childcare landscape.

Childcare By The Numbers

According to a 2016 report from the Kids Count Data Center, 65% of U.S. children under age six had all available parents in the workforce (up from 58% in 1996).  In Utah, the 2016 percentage was quite a bit lower than the national average, at 52%; in fact, Utah has the lowest ranking in the nation for this indicator.  Still, childcare is a significant concern for more than half the families in Utah with very young children. Despite a lingering perception that most Utah mothers are not employed, Census data show that in Utah, 59% of mothers with children under age 6, 50% of mothers with both children under 6 and between 6 and 17, and 73% of mothers with children between 6 and 17 are in the labor force. We must not forget that in many households with children, “all available parents” is just one, and that parent is more than twice as likely to be a mother than a father. There are 37,690 households in Utah headed by a woman with no husband present, living with her own children under age 18.

Utah Childcare Providers

A variety of regulated childcare options exist in Utah, including childcare centers, family childcare homes, and other arrangements, and there are various license, registration, and approval options for each. A 2017 study showed that there are 41,144 slots available in childcare programs, and of these, 68% are in childcare centers, 30% are in family childcare homes, and 2% are in school-aged care programs. Yet these official slots do not tell the whole story of where children receive care. As mentioned previously, there is a large gap between the number of children needing care and the available openings in formal programs. Many caregiving settings (including care by family or friends and other specific situations) do not require any regulation or licensing, and a substantial portion of childcare in Utah is in this category, especially in some rural areas, where licensed care can be rare or even nonexistent.

Childcare at Utah Higher Education Institutions

While the primary focus of this snapshot has been childcare for working families, childcare for parents who are pursing higher education is also a major challenge for both traditional and non-traditional students. Many parents who struggle to afford childcare while working low wage jobs could improve their economic viability with additional education, but the lack of affordable childcare for students is a deterrent. Some public support is available, as subsidies provided to low-income families can cover childcare for those pursuing higher education/training for up to 24 months (parents must also meet a minimum work requirement). Yet the costs can still be high, and the varied schedules of students (as opposed to the more regular schedules that come with many jobs) can complicate childcare for college students. Many of the public colleges and universities in Utah have a preschool program on campus, with the dual mission of providing both childcare and practicum experience for early childhood education students. However, preschools are for older children, and with specific hours they cannot meet the varied childcare needs of college students who are also parents. Six Utah schools have additional childcare facilities for students and employees. Please see Table 1 for an overview of childcare options in institutions of higher education in Utah.

The following post is adapted from the Research Snapshot Childcare: What Utahns Need to Know, published September 5, 2018.