Parents pushed to their limits over rising child care costs, limited access to care

Millions of American families are burdened by the high costs of child care, spending over 25% of their incomes on care — when they can find it. Since the coronavirus pandemic, many facilities across the country have closed or faced challenges in rehiring workers.

With costs high and access scarce in many places, parents are being pushed to their limits.

Amelia Emmanuel, a 33-year-old working mother and college student, commutes an hour every morning so her 4-year-old daughter can go to a daycare on Boston's south side. Emmanuel, a single mom and low-income earner, managed to secure a voucher through her state, reducing her weekly daycare costs from $250 to just $11.35. However, she faced the challenge of finding eligible locations that accepted the voucher.