Why Should Early Childhood Education Matter to Employers?
Every year, Indiana loses $3 billion due to lack of high-quality child care options for Hoosier families. Issues with child care force some employees to miss work or quit their jobs, and sometimes employers are forced to let them go as a result of child care issues. Child care is an economic driver for rural communities and we are facing a shortage of high-quality child care in Montgomery County.
EMPLOYER IMPACT
A study conducted by the IU Public Policy Institute and Early Learning Indiana calculated the effects of inadequate child care options resulting in work disruptions such as employee absences and turnover. These disruptions affect the bottom line of businesses, the local economy, and tax revenue.
The lack of access to child care costs Montgomery County businesses $7.9 million annually
Early childhood education and child care has a direct, measurable impact on your community’s economy, workforce, and family stability.
In 2019, a community led Child Care Task Force conducted a needs assessment and compiled the following results:
BENEFITS OF INVESTING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
The positive effects of early childhood interventions are evident even after participants reach adulthood.
Participants showed long-term health benefits, including reduced rates of depression, smoking, and cardiovascular disease.
Early childhood education has been shown to lower the rate of special education placement by 10%.
Parents with children participating in high-quality programs saw sustained parental wage growth.
Economists have found that high-quality early childhood education offers one of the highest returns of any public investment - more than $7 for every dollar spent.
Adults who participated in a high-quality early childhood education had a higher rate of high school graduation, college attendance, and degree attainment.
RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Employers who invest in high-quality child care and early childhood education receive a return on their investment as they attract skilled employees, see increased productivity from less absenteeism and turnover, and encourage employees to thrive and stay engaged in their job. By championing child care benefits, you show you care about the whole person, both as a parent and an employee.
