More and more families across Idaho are having to make the difficult decision between paying for childcare or leaving their jobs.
According to the Idaho Department of Labor, the number of people who had to leave their jobs or lost them because of a need for childcare jumped from 5,000 in 2023 to 25,000 in 2024.
IDL said only about 12% of working parents currently use daycare for childcare support, while 55% report having no support at all.
Brandon Doug, an economist for IDL said the rising cost of childcare is often the reason families forgo childcare.
“It has caused parents to take a look at the books, write it out and see that maybe childcare isn’t the best option for them because of its increasing costs,” he said.
RELATED COVERAGE: Childcare costs breaking the budget
United Way of North Idaho works to support local families and find long-term solutions to the childcare crisis.
“It’s really in the interest of our community as a whole that we solve this problem and work toward a solution,” said Rachel Peterson, Executive Director of United Way North Idaho.
She said parents who don’t have regular access to reliable childcare are likely to miss 17% more time off work unpaid.
“Not only does that affect your ability to serve and do your job in the community, but it affects your finances as well,” Peterson said.
Options for childcare in Idaho have decreased over the last year, with 45 daycares shutting down by the end of 2024, according to IDL.
IDL also reports that the state’s most expensive daycares are in Latah County, with parents paying, on average, more than 10% of their income toward childcare. Nationally, anything above 7% is considered a barrier.
United Way is currently offering childcare scholarships for eligible families. For more information, visit www.uwnorthidaho.org.
RELATED COVERAGE: Thousands of ECEAP spots could be eliminated in latest budget proposals
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
