NEWS RELEASE

Child Care Challenges Are Costing Union County Families Work and Opportunity, New Study Finds  

Local families report missed work, disrupted careers and lost educational opportunities as child care access remains limited 

For families across Union County, finding child care can mean more than juggling schedules or stretching a household budget. It can mean missing work, turning down opportunities and making career decisions around whether someone can watch their children.

Those are among the findings of a new Union County Child Care Study, released recently by the Rural Engagement & Vitality (REV) Center. The study combines local child care capacity data, responses from Union County families and input from child care providers to examine how the availability, affordability and reliability of child care affect the community.

Seventy percent of survey respondents reported missing out on an educational or professional opportunity because of child care issues.

“As a child care provider, I see every day how deeply access to child care affects families,” said Alexia Nice, owner of Sweet Peas Daycare and Preschool. “When families can’t access reliable child care, the impact reaches far beyond that individual household. It affects employers, schools, local businesses and ultimately the strength of our entire community. If we want more child care options in Union County, we have to support both sides of the equation: the families who need care and the providers who make that care possible.” 

Families are making decisions around child care

Survey respondents described a range of ways child care challenges have affected their lives, including:

• Missing work or changing work schedules because of child care.

• Turning down educational or professional opportunities because suitable care was unavailable.

• Making employment decisions based on whether child care could be secured.

• Paying significant portions of household income toward child care.

• Struggling to find care matching their children's needs and their work schedules.

The study also asked families what they would choose to do if money were not a factor. Their responses offer a glimpse at how financial and child care constraints can shape the choices families make about work, education and family life.

From data to action

The study's recommendations focus on reducing the workforce and career disruption caused by limited access to affordable, reliable and sustainable child care.

The report calls attention to opportunities to:

• Support and strengthen the existing child care provider network.

• Increase child care capacity where possible.

• Improve access to information and resources for families and providers.

• Explore approaches addressing the financial challenges facing both families and providers.

• Bring employers, community organizations, local government and other partners into the conversation about child care solutions.

“There isn't one silver bullet for child care,” said Grace Donovan, REV Center’s Executive Director. “This study gives Union County a stronger understanding of what families and providers are experiencing and where there may be opportunities to make a difference.”

The study comes at a time when communities across Oregon are examining the connection between child care and workforce participation. For Union County, the findings provide local evidence of what those challenges look like in the lives of families, employers and providers.

The Union County Child Care Study is available at www.unioncountyorchildcare.org.

About the Study

Union County and REV were selected as partners for this project, funded by the National Association of Counties through the Rural Leaders for Economic Mobility initiative. The initiative supports rural counties in advancing strategies strengthening families and local economies. Union County is one of just 10 counties in the nation selected for this program in its inaugural year.

About the Rural Engagement & Vitality Center

The Rural Engagement & Vitality Center (REV) connects Eastern Oregon communities with the people, knowledge and resources at Eastern Oregon University to help solve local challenges. REV supports local leaders, small businesses and students by building skills, strengthening local economies and finding practical solutions that fit rural communities. Our goal is simple: help Eastern Oregon communities stay strong, create opportunities and build a future here.

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