Recognizing that a data-driven understanding of the impact of childcare breakdowns on working parents, their employers, and the state economy is prerequisite to creating meaningful solutions, the U.S. Chamber Foundation partnered with the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and Groundwork Ohio to produce this report, which aims to understand the unique needs of working parents in Ohio by exploring the current childcare landscape. This report estimates how often parents leave the workforce, are absent from school or work, or miss educational opportunities due to insufficient childcare support. Data for this report was gathered by surveying a representative sample of 512 parents of children under the age of six across Ohio.
Our research shows Ohio's economy loses $5.48 billion each year due to insufficient childcare coverage.
The issue to overcome is multifaceted. Childcare is a central determinant in whether and how reliably a parent can participate in the labor force, a reality that is on full display as the state continues to push for job growth. Ohio ranks 30th in labor force participation relative to other states,1 and findings indicate many parents may not be able to continue working without adequate childcare options. The childcare coverage gap in Ohio is not only a barrier to parents’ ability to participate in the labor force, but also a hindrance to the state’s potential for growth and success. Ohio also has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, tying it for the 16th highest rate among U.S. states,2 and this analysis shows that childcare issues could hinder Ohio’s economic performance.
Key Findings in Ohio:
- Childcare issues result in an estimated $5.48 billion annual loss for Ohio’s economy
- Childcare-related employee turnover and absenteeism costs Ohio employers an estimated $3.97 billion per year
- Ohio misses an estimated $1.52 billion annually in tax revenue due to childcare issues
- 70% of parents of young children missed work or class at least once in the past three months for childcare-related reasons
Read the full report for more childcare insights in Ohio.
