Chamber: Lack of child care costly Ohio billions

(The Center Square) – Ohio’s economy is losing out on billions thanks to insufficient child care infrastructure, according to the state’s Chamber of Commerce.

President and CEO Steve Sivers called on the legislature to invest in the system, while urging the state to utilize tools to “detect, track and eliminate fraud and waste.”

The losses drawing concern from the chamber are largely leaking from gaps in the workforce created by parents and caregivers who are unable to afford care, electing to stay home with children.

Stivers noted that the cost was “found to be $5.48 billion annually, including $1.52 billion in missed annual tax revenue and $3.97 billion in child care-related employee turnover and absenteeism costs.”

“As all industries struggle to attract and retain talent, the costs and scarcity of child care services are robbing our labor force of an entire demographic of skilled, educated and hardworking Ohioans,” said Stivers. “Ohio needs to continue exploring new ways to make child care more affordable for working fami...