Gifts Moms Actually Want: The Case for Affordable Child Care Policies
05/12/25
Moms do it all. They love. They teach. They provide. And every Mother’s Day, we all want to know the best way we can help them know we appreciate them. Scented candles and edible arrangements are thoughtful. But if you ask most moms what they truly need, the answer is simple: high-quality, affordable child care they can depend on.
The Price of Care
In Ohio, the average cost of center-based infant care reached $12,351 per year in 2023, marking a 22% increase since 2021. For many families, this expense surpasses the cost of in-state college tuition.
Why This Hits Moms Hardest
When the cost of care forces a parent out of the workforce, it’s most often mothers. 21 percent of moms who stay at home with their children full-time said they turned down job opportunities because of the lack of child care. The long-term effects of for women who leave the workforce to care for a child often include a reduction in future income, valuable time lost investing in workplace benefits like retirement funds, and an uphill battle when they’re ready to return to the workforce.
Most mothers aren’t asking for luxuries. They’re asking for a system that allows them to work, care for their children, and make decisions that reflect their actual needs.
What Action for Children Is Doing
Access to care shouldn’t depend on luck or income. Every family deserves reliable options.
At Action for Children, we help families navigate child care options based on their needs, location, and budget. We support early educators with training, resources, and financial tools to strengthen their programs and provide the best environments for their employees to thrive. In our most recent initiative, Action for Children has been partnering with employers through our Early Care and Education Business Partnerships pilot, helping them offer meaningful child care support to their workforce.
Give Moms a Real Gift This Year
This Mother’s Day, instead of asking what to buy, ask what could truly lighten the load. Child care shouldn’t be a daily scramble. It should be a reliable part of a system that supports working families.
To learn how your workplace can support working families with access to affordable child care, reach out to Action for Children’s Early Care and Education Business Partnerships Manager, Stephanie Fields.
The Child Care Business Partnerships program is funded by the Ohio Department of Children and Youth and locally supported in Franklin County and Licking County by Action for Children.
About Action for Children: Action for Children is the local child care resource and referral agency for central Ohio, and is committed to assuring quality early learning experiences for all children. Our services focus on transforming the lives of children by supporting the everyday heroes who most influence our children’s early growth; care givers, educators, parents, and guardians. Learn More.