>> The federal government has
been using covid relief funds to
support childcare programs but
the funding is set to expire at
the end of September.
>> Childcare advocates are
sounding the alarm and searching
for solutions.
The price of childcare has risen
steadily.
When federal covid era funding
runs out September, over 3
million children could lose
access to childcare and more
than 70,000 centers could be
forced to close.
The CEO joins us.
Thank you, how have childcare
programs been using this
funding?
>> Thank you for the question.
The good news is, the number of
programs has rebounded.
That is a direct result of an
investment congress made.
Some incredible work and many
childcare programs are using
those to boost the wages of
childcare to stabilize when they
were not children in care.
>> Tells about the services
these provide to children?
>> It's a triple play.
First of all, it really helps
parents.
We're going to benefit later in
life.
Childcare benefits all of us
because when parents can go to
work, we all thrive.
We are concerned about a few
things.
We could see some constricted
supply and we are concerned
about the workforce and whether
teachers who only earn $13 an
hour will end up going to other
places so they can support their
own families.
If there are no teachers we know
this childcare programs can't
stay open.
>> Some states have been
providing backstops when the
funding runs out or to keep it
going.
>> We are seeing some bright
spots across the country, states
like Alabama, Nebraska.
They are investing in things
like wages for the workforce and
boosting fees for parents and
some other innovative projects.
>> Experts have long pointed to
the industry as a broken market.
Does the industry require a more
holistic overhaul and how far
beyond funding with?
?
>> I'm so glad you asked the
question.
The fact is, we have broken the
childcare system before the
pandemic and we are still
scrambling.
It's a broken business model.
Childcare is labor-intensive, it
takes a lot of people who are
well-trained to be in classrooms
of toddlers.
We rely exclusively on parent
fees to pay for the child air
when we are pleased to see the
senate has recommended
childcare, recognizing it will
take everyone to fix the broken
childcare system.
>> Can you tell us about
resources that are available?
>> We always like to stay -- say
the first best place is the
local childcare resource.
They can find the names and
numbers and referral agencies
can help families find childcare
and pay for childcare.
>> Thank you so much for your
time.