How Public-Private Partnerships Can Help Working Parents with Childcare Challenges [Video]

During the past few years, childcare has become a hot topic for parents and guardians, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even in today’s remote-first work environment, working parents still face barriers to accessing affordable, high-quality care for their children. 

During this installment of The Drumbeat, Aaron Merchen, Director of Policy and Programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, spoke with Charles Aull, Executive Director at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, about the importance of public-private partnerships in addressing childcare challenges and offering childcare options to working parents.

Aull broke down childcare challenges into two different buckets: availability and affordability.

“[It’s a challenge] just simply finding access to childcare, but then even once you find access to childcare, particularly when it’s higher-quality childcare … then you run into the affordability issue.”

For instance, in Kentucky, the general annual cost of childcare ranges between $6,000 to $11,000, while the state’s median household income …