Childcare businesses closed their doors across the country to demonstrate the impact of potential widespread closures as providers struggle with rising costs.
MENTOR , Ohio - Childcare businesses closed their doors across the country to demonstrate the impact of potential widespread closures as providers struggle with rising costs.
Dozens of childcare workers and parents gathered on Mentor Avenue to raise awareness in favor of universal childcare.
“It’s not affordable for families, which makes it the costs and things really hard to retain staff,” said Allison Kumel, administrator at My Kids Childcare. Anita Dokollari owns a My Kids Childcare in Mentor. She closed the business for the National Day Without Childcare, aimed at showing how detrimental it would be to the workforce if childcare centers continue to close due to rising costs.
“I just hope it creates a ripple effect that it is something that we need to acknowledge as a society, as child care is essential to our workforce,” Dokollari said. Dokollari said she wants the rally to get the conversation going at a state level.
“We have families who are trying to pay day-to-day cost of living and not being able to afford the current child care prices. We have providers who are providing day-to-day care and they are burned out and not making livable wages,” Dokollari said. In September, the state rolled out a new child care credit program designed to split childcare costs three ways between the state, employer and families.
State data showed that in the first six months of the program, only $84,000 out of the $10 million set aside has been used. Just 21 employers signed on to utilize the program. State Sen. Jerry Cirino said universal child care is off the table.
However, he is encouraging employers to take advantage of the new childcare credit program.
“I think in the next fiscal year coming up here soon, we’re going to see a much, much better participation level. And again, I think that employees should be informing and trying to persuade their employers to take part in this,” Cirino said. Man dies after shooting at Noisy Oyster Pub in Akron, 2nd man injuredMedina County auditor accused of misusing public funds for campaign
Childcare Businesses Ohio Daycare Day Care Centers Mentor Ohio Lake County Ohio Mentor Cleveland Cuyahoga County Lake County Mentor Avenue Route 20 My Kids Childcare My Kids Childcare Mentor Anita Dokollari Allison Kumel State Sen. Jerry Cirino
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