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A four-alarm fire, that’s how the Greater Omaha Chamber described the economic impact of child care in the region. A new report completed by First Five Nebraska and commissioned by the Greater Omaha Chamber uncovers the economic impact of inadequate child care options in the Omaha region. The Omaha region includes six Nebraska counties — Dodge, Douglas, Otoe, Sarpy, Washington, and Cass — and two Iowa counties — Pottawattamie and Mills. President and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber, Heath Mello, said they commissioned this report in an effort to study the workforce availability and its impact on economic development. From the report, the chamber said it’s clear the need for affordable, accessible child care is an issue that’s impacting every sector, not just families. “Over $1 billion of lost business outputs, over $900 million of lost wages, and realizing that every year we’re losing 4000 jobs because of the lack of childcare is really a 4-alarm fire right now,” Mello said. “If that, that industry doesn’t get healthier in the child care space, we’re going to continue to lose 4,000 jobs. That’s us losing a Union Pacific every year in the metro region because of the lack of childcare availability.”Mello said losing 4,000 jobs annually is like the Omaha metro losing a company like Union Pacific every year. The lost business outputs and wages stem across all sectors and industries. “It is that domino effect,” Dr. Katie Bass, director of policy research at First Five Nebraska, said. “It starts in one place. It starts with child care, but it’s going to impact us all.”The report shows families across the Omaha region with one child spend an average of $250 per week on child care, amounting to nearly $13,000 annually. Those with more than one child spend an average of $450 per week, totaling roughly $23,400 annually. “This is a real significant investment for families who are then trying to balance. Is that cost worth my participation in the workforce?” Bass said. “And they’re having to make some really hard decisions.”It’s not just the cost putting a strain on parents, however. In collaboration with the Buffett Early Childhood Institute, Bass said there is a need for more than 4,730 child care slots in the area. The report shows Dodge County and the area around Offutt Air Force Base have the largest child care gaps. “For us to be innovative as a region is really the biggest opportunity,” Mello said. “There’s not going to be a one-size-fits-all solution for different communities.”Bass said it’s going to take everyone coming to the table to solve the problem. “I don’t think philanthropy or government or business alone can solve this problem,” Bass said. “If we want to attract, recruit, and retain families in Nebraska, we need to make sure we have that infrastructure to meet their families’ needs. And childcare is part of that infrastructure.”The report identifies several recommendations that can be implemented to start to address the issue. Bass said a key one is going to be finding ways to help families that are struggling but don’t qualify for already existing subsidies.”Families who are making less than $100,000 per year were less likely to utilize that formal care system, but they were also more likely to report that they were having disruptions or interruptions at work. And so we really need to think about how our system is built and how we can better serve families,” Bass said. Mello said they’re going to take a deep dive into implementing changes to address the issue. “Looking at partnerships, looking at pilot projects, looking at public policy, looking at what we can do not just as a business community, but a broader, greater Omaha community to ensure that that childcare apparatus and childcare is the foundation of our overall workforce growth in the future,” Mello said. Both Mello and Bass said something needs to be done now, otherwise the issue will only become larger. To read the full report, click here. Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
A four-alarm fire, that’s how the Greater Omaha Chamber described the economic impact of child care in the region.
A new report completed by First Five Nebraska and commissioned by the Greater Omaha Chamber uncovers the economic impact of inadequate child care options in the Omaha region.
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The Omaha region includes six Nebraska counties — Dodge, Douglas, Otoe, Sarpy, Washington, and Cass — and two Iowa counties — Pottawattamie and Mills.
President and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber, Heath Mello, said they commissioned this report in an effort to study the workforce availability and its impact on economic development. From the report, the chamber said it’s clear the need for affordable, accessible child care is an issue that’s impacting every sector, not just families.
“Over $1 billion of lost business outputs, over $900 million of lost wages, and realizing that every year we’re losing 4000 jobs because of the lack of childcare is really a 4-alarm fire right now,” Mello said. “If that, that industry doesn’t get healthier in the child care space, we’re going to continue to lose 4,000 jobs. That’s us losing a Union Pacific every year in the metro region because of the lack of childcare availability.”
Mello said losing 4,000 jobs annually is like the Omaha metro losing a company like Union Pacific every year.
The lost business outputs and wages stem across all sectors and industries.
“It is that domino effect,” Dr. Katie Bass, director of policy research at First Five Nebraska, said. “It starts in one place. It starts with child care, but it’s going to impact us all.”
The report shows families across the Omaha region with one child spend an average of $250 per week on child care, amounting to nearly $13,000 annually. Those with more than one child spend an average of $450 per week, totaling roughly $23,400 annually.
“This is a real significant investment for families who are then trying to balance. Is that cost worth my participation in the workforce?” Bass said. “And they’re having to make some really hard decisions.”
It’s not just the cost putting a strain on parents, however. In collaboration with the Buffett Early Childhood Institute, Bass said there is a need for more than 4,730 child care slots in the area.
The report shows Dodge County and the area around Offutt Air Force Base have the largest child care gaps.
“For us to be innovative as a region is really the biggest opportunity,” Mello said. “There’s not going to be a one-size-fits-all solution for different communities.”
Bass said it’s going to take everyone coming to the table to solve the problem.
“I don’t think philanthropy or government or business alone can solve this problem,” Bass said. “If we want to attract, recruit, and retain families in Nebraska, we need to make sure we have that infrastructure to meet their families’ needs. And childcare is part of that infrastructure.”
The report identifies several recommendations that can be implemented to start to address the issue. Bass said a key one is going to be finding ways to help families that are struggling but don’t qualify for already existing subsidies.
“Families who are making less than $100,000 per year were less likely to utilize that formal care system, but they were also more likely to report that they were having disruptions or interruptions at work. And so we really need to think about how our system is built and how we can better serve families,” Bass said.
Mello said they’re going to take a deep dive into implementing changes to address the issue.
“Looking at partnerships, looking at pilot projects, looking at public policy, looking at what we can do not just as a business community, but a broader, greater Omaha community to ensure that that childcare apparatus and childcare is the foundation of our overall workforce growth in the future,” Mello said.
Both Mello and Bass said something needs to be done now, otherwise the issue will only become larger.
To read the full report, click here.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
