‘Desperation’: Child care struggle worsens in rural U.S.

By CLAIRE RUSH
Associated Press/Report for America

ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) — Across the United States, from Oregon to New York, demand for child care far exceeds supply. Families are growing increasingly desperate as providers deal with staffing shortages exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic as well as historically low pay worsened by inflation. Half of U.S. residents live in a child care desert, according to the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank. The problem is especially acute in smaller towns and rural areas, where facilities are under strain and the lack of options is forcing some parents to change jobs, reduce their hours or quit altogether to ensure care for their child.