The Story
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith spoke with a number of community members Friday afternoon to discuss the decline in child care options and the growing need for more, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wear on.
While numerous COVID-related restrictions are the primary reason for the stark decline in child care options, Smith noted how it has been steadily declining for the last 20 years, per statistics provided by the Center for Rural Policy and Development.
“This is an economic issue,” Smith said. “We are losing child care providers at a crisis level, especially in rural places … and the pandemic is making this so much worse.”
