As parents juggle professional responsibilities and family life, the pressure to find reliable, high-quality child care can be overwhelming. Liv Woodstrom, Start Early Washington Director of Programs reflects on the challenges faced by working families, the impact of child care costs, and the barriers faced by working families across the United States.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Liv Woodstrom has dedicated her professional career to supporting children and families. As a Pediatric Mental Health Specialist at Seattle Children’s Hospital, she helped families navigate the complex system of behavioral health. For the past 12 years, she’s been a leader in Washington state’s home visiting system, ensuring that pregnant and parenting families have the support they need in the critical early days of parenting. She knows a lot about navigating the systems that support families. Yet, when she started her own family, like everyone else, she faced many unexpected challenges. According to a poll from NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 34% of families with young children are facing serious problems finding child care when adults need to work. For some families, the cost of child care exceeds 15% of their monthly income, and the percentage more than doubles for a single parent.
The Elusive Balance
Navigating child care for two children is akin to walking a tightrope. As Liv shares, “I know about Early Achievers, I know about how to look for quality. I understand the landscape of early learning and yet it’s still an uphill battle to navigate.” Even for experienced early learning professionals, figuring out how to meet your family’s unique needs is a challenge and the stress of finding suitable care can hang over families for many years, taking a toll on financial stability and emotional well-being.
