Will there be enough child care centers when the coronavirus pandemic is over? | COMMENTARY

By CHRISTINA PEUSCH FOR THE BALTIMORE SUN | APR 07, 2020 | 1:14 PM

In normal times, child care is the backbone of our nation’s economy; without it, millions of
parents cannot go to work or attend school, and our economy would suffer. But these are not
normal times and the spread of COVID-19 threatens our child care system on multiple fronts.
Unfortunately, this crisis will very likely cause thousands of child care providers across
Maryland to close forever, leaving scores of parents without child care when the economic
recovery begins.

Thousands of licensed and regulated child care providers in Maryland have stepped up to care
for the children of health care workers, first responders and other essential personnel —
allowing those brave individuals to help serve the rest of us during this critical time. These child
care providers are trying to effectively and safely care for and educate children of essential
personnel, while at the same time protect their staff and cover operating expenses to keep their
doors open.

Screening procedures are in place, but asymptomatic COVID-19 transmission reports cause
legitimate concern that a child care facility serving the children of essential workers could be the
epicenter of an outbreak among children. Providers need cleaning supplies and protective
equipment for daily operations, not just in a pandemic. Yet, following the Maryland State
Department of Education’s direction, child care centers have made requests to the Maryland
Emergency Management Agency for supplies which have gone unanswered.

The financial realities for these very small businesses and nonprofits are stark, even for those
open serving children of essential workers. Bills for food suppliers, insurance, landlords and
most importantly, the wages of working staff do not stop. A weeks-long lag in the state payment
for care of children of essential workers is untenable and unreasonable. Providers are essentially
fronting the cost of the state’s pledge to provide child care to essential workers. The state needs
to speed up payment or allow essential workers to pay directly and reimburse them later. By the
time payments are processed, it may be too late

Some parents and officials have also raised concerns about child care payments, contracts and
“guaranteed placement,” or holding their children’s spots for once the crisis abates. Providers —
many of them very small women-owned businesses — are doing their best to stay afloat, but they
are not immune from layoffs and other financial strains in their own families that make it
harder. While they vary, the majority of contracts allow families to terminate. Providers are
being flexible and reasonable; many have already worked with families to reduce tuition for
those that can’t attend and released families that have been furloughed from their contract
obligations.

The issue of “guaranteed placement” is harder. Adding children of essential personnel
complicates this issue further because it throws off strict state-mandated ratios of staff to
children. Above all, unless they continue to receive income from contracted families or other
public support, no provider can offer any post-crisis guarantees of placements because none of
them can guarantee their businesses will be open after the crisis. The Maryland State
Department of Education is apparently considering a solution to provide “financial relief to
families” that seems to guarantee placement. But this policy, without financial support for
providers, could force child care in Maryland to cease to exist as we know it.

Last year there were approximately 7,200 child care providers serving more than 152,000
children in the state. The early data show one third of Maryland child care providers and
almost 50 percent across the country say they will not survive even a two week disruption
without significant public support.

Thus far, federal and state government attempts to help child care providers specifically, and
small businesses generally, seem to be insufficient to meet their unique needs. And while
providers would like to do more for their employees — they simply can’t afford it. Numerous
other states have instituted fiscal supports, recognizing the child care need during
the crisis and the long-term recovery. Some like Vermont have instituted plans to
reimburse providers for lost tuition. Maryland must consider something similar. Without more
support, thousands of parents will not have child care when they need it most. Even some of the
thousands of providers who have stepped up to care for essential workers’ children may be
forced to close entirely.

Child care is not an economic accessory, it is essential. Our state’s leaders need to understand
that without child care, our economic recovery will suffer huge setbacks. These child care
providers need help now so they can be there for families when everyone goes back to work.

Christina Peusch (info@mscca.org) is the executive director of the Maryland State Child
Care Association which represents 4,400 infant, toddler, and pre-kindergarten community-
based providers.