A new study by the Urban Institute found access to affordable, high quality childcare as a significant barrier to job training and employment according to workforce development boards in both urban and rural communities.
Gina Adams, author of a new study by the Urban Institute, interviewed five urban and rural workforce development boards across the country. She found board administrators were helping clients find child care since it was identified as a barrier to people accessing to job training. A lack of funding to pay for child care and the availability of high quality care were noted as the main issues. In addition, many people receiving job training need child care at night or on weekends when it’s rarely available.
The five workforce development boards were interviewed from a larger survey. “They talked about the importance of child care in supporting an overall well-functioning economy,” said Adams. “They really saw child care as core to the fabric of a workforce development strategy for their community.”