High day care costs put parents in bind

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - There’s no getting around the expense of raising children. And for many Maryland parents, the cost of child care is pushing the family budget to the breaking point, especially as the economy continues to struggle.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the average Maryland household pulls in around $63,000 in annual income — one of the highest in the United States.

But, according to the National Association for Child Care Resource Referral Agencies, day care costs in the state average just over $11,000. That can be a hit on the pocketbook, not only for average-income Marylanders but especially for single mothers and low-income families.

Catonsville resident Julie Obie, 31, a mother of two young children, says the child-care situation where she lives is so dire that many mothers are looking outside licensed day care.

“The two major day care centers in my area range from $200 to $260 a week,” Obie said. “ [The expense] is forcing a lot of women to stay at home or go with unlicensed care. I know the risk of unlicensed care, but what else are [parents] suppose to do?”

Rick Fletcher, 44, of Columbia, said he would be lost if his wife’s  mother was unable to watch their 5-month-old twins while they work. “We looked into child care, and it was $200 per child a week,” said Melony Fletcher, 38. “We looked into a nanny, and that was even more expensive.”

“When I was growing up, my parents relied on neighbors and friends to help,” said Lealie Perry, 44, of Towson. “As a single mother, I used to depend on child care, but this summer I’m depending on neighbors and friends. We’re back to that.”

Child-care providers are noticing a shift in the industry.

“A lot of families simply can’t afford it anymore,” said Carolyn Brock, owner of the Training Wheels day care center in Towson. In the past two years, Brock said, she has noticed more parents removing their children from day cares in favor of county-funded pre-K programs.

“The cost for child care can be fairly high, depending on the region,” said Rolf Grafwallner, assistant state superintendent for the Division of Early Childhood Development. “In many instances parents are making informal arrangements. They find a friend or a relative to take care of their child.”

However, Grafwallner said that short-term informal arrangements are not always consistent environments for a child.

“Evaluations from teachers have shown that children coming from informal care seem to have lower scores then children from other kinds of programs,” said Grafwallner.

anthony.fair@baltimoreexaminer.com

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