Getting someone to watch your kid is expensive, but it could be getting cheaper in Georgia. The state Senate’s Committee on Affordable Childcare heard its final testimony in a hearing at the state Capitol on Monday and is expected to release its findings for next year’s session later this month.
The federal measure of affordable child care is 7% or less of one’s income, but caring for an infant costs more than 7% of median income in 142 of Georgia’s 159 counties, according to numbers from the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. That can mean young moms staying out of employment or education during their children’s early years, and kids missing out on socialization and learning.
If someone’s getting rich from daycare centers, it’s not the teachers watching the kids, said Jana Fox, owner and director of the Learning Treehouse in Rincon. She said her staff is all highly trained and passionate about teaching and caring for youngsters, but the work is hard and it’s hard to offer pay competitive with other sectors.
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