Care.com, the world’s leading platform for finding and managing high-quality family care, revealed findings from its national COVID-19 Childcare Survey fielded to assess the impact of the pandemic on parental attitudes towards and plans for childcare as states reopen. Complementing this new data, Care.com also released the results of its annual Cost of Care Survey, highlighting the stark reality of the financial and familial impacts of childcare, stressors in the workplace for parents, childcare in the political arena, and more.

“Parents across America were struggling to find affordable and accessible childcare prior to COVID-19, but this challenge has been exacerbated by the pandemic and thrust our nation’s care crisis into the spotlight,” said Tim Allen, CEO of Care.com. “Our economic recovery rests on people’s ability to get back to work and for parents, that makes childcare indispensable. But with social distancing, remote work, and the closure of businesses that many parents rely on, a new dynamic of childcare is quickly emerging, and if we don’t take action now to solve this childcare crisis, there will be huge ramifications for all of us.” 

Key highlights from the COVID-19 Childcare Survey: 

• Childcare Choices Will Change:  63% of respondents who use daycare are somewhat or very uncomfortable returning their children to daycare as states reopen, and more than one-third (35%) of those are now considering in-home care instead.

• Economic Woes Drive Concerns:  More than half (52%) of the parents surveyed anticipate that the cost of childcare will be higher than before COVID-19 and nearly that many (47%) are more concerned about the cost of childcare now than they were before the pandemic. 

• Employers and the Government Need to Step Up: Nearly all surveyed (96%) say it is important for government and business leaders to provide additional financial support for childcare as Americans transition out of quarantine.

• Moms Hit Harder:  For families with one or both parents working from home, 41% say mom has been doing the majority of extra childcare work while working from home, compared to just 15% who say dad has done the majority. 

Key highlights from the 2020 Cost of Care Survey:

Weekly Childcare Costs Have Risen Significantly in the Last Six Years:

• Nanny: $565 (up 20% from $472 in 2013)

• Childcare Center: $215 (up 16% from $186 in 2013)

• Family Care Center: $201 (up 58% from $127 in 2013)

• Au Pair: $401 (up 11% from $360 in 2013)

Top 5 Most Affordable States for Nannies and Childcare Centers:

• To hire a nanny: New Jersey, Maryland, Alaska, Connecticut and North Dakota.

• To use a childcare center: North Dakota, Utah, Delaware, New Jersey, and South Dakota.

Top 5 Least Affordable States for Nannies and Childcare Centers:

• To hire a nanny: Mississippi, New Mexico, Arkansas, Arizona and Florida.

• To use a childcare center: Washington, D.C., California, Oregon, New Mexico, and New York.

Childcare & Household Income:  More than half of families (55%) spend at least $10,000 per year on childcare, more than the average annual cost of in-state college tuition ($9,410) per  CollegeBoard.

• Research & Awareness:  70% of parents say childcare costs surprised them when they started having children, followed by the cost of diapers (33%) and formula (31%).

• Impact on Working Parents:  60% of working parents didn’t think the cost of childcare would influence their career decisions, yet more than half (54%) had to make workplace changes in order to afford it.

• Childcare Driving Election Decisions:  71% of families say childcare policies will impact how they vote in the election in November.

For the complete results, please visit www.care.com/costofcare.