A new survey found that there is a gap between the need for child care and those who provide it in Wicomico County. Delmarva Public Media's Don Rush talks with Dr. Katherine Jones, chair of the Greater Salisbury Committee, about the findings.
RUSH: There's a major gap between the demand for childcare and those who provide it on Maryland's lower Eastern Shore. This is Don Rush. A new report by the Greater Salisbury Committee found that the total capacity of childcare programs is only half to nearly 7,000 children, ages one through four. In addition, the cost for infant care can reach as high as $18,000 a year, while preschool runs around $13,000 a year in Wicomico county. This report is expected to be presented to the Wicomico County Council this week. We talked with Dr. Katherine Jones, chair of the committee about the implications of what they found.
JONES: Just looking in Wicomico County alone, we have about 45% of our children unable to access childcare, and that's just a current statistic for this year. We have been rapidly seeing the spaces available for childcare lessening every year, and of course, this is a tremendous economic impact to Wicomico County. We also see it going on in Somerset County, which is even worse. Statistically, they only have about 50% of the spots available for children that are in need of care. So it's definitely hitting us economically across the board when we have young professionals that cannot work because they can't find childcare and/or it's so expensive that the cost of childcare outweigh the benefits of working.
RUSH: So what kind of impact then does this have on parents who want to certainly take care of their children? Does this necessarily force them to stay at home that it's hard to imagine, given that there really isn't a two income family situation for a lot of families out there, what kind of impact does that have? Not only financially, but just psychologically?
JONES: I've made this statement before. It's predominantly become a woman's problem when it comes to the childcare factor, and the unfortunate thing is that women are having to not be able to go to work and unfortunately have to choose a life of public benefits rather than using the skills that they have and the knowledge that they have and the education as well, because they just point blank, can't find the childcare, particularly infant care, and so they just end up not being able to contribute to the economy like they were before. Of course, that also causes huge gaps in resumes and a lot of questions from the business community. Where have you been for three years? I really look towards our business community for hopefully being able to bridge some of these gaps. Our business community to be open-minded, recognize this is not just a problem, this is a crisis.
RUSH: What do you see the role of state and local government in terms of trying to shore some of this up?
JONES: So there used to be a childcare scholarship that families were able to apply for. The childcare scholarship program, help families offset the cost of childcare. They stopped that May 1st of 2025, so we would love to see the state put more money back into that childcare scholarship program. The other thing is that we need to be looking to our county, and I'd like to be able to speak with Wicomico County Council to look at tax incentives for anyone who owns a private daycare within their homes, that there should be some level of tax incentives so those providers can keep their doors open. But in addition to that, encourage other families to possibly open childcare centers within their homes.
RUSH: Dr. Catherine Jones, chair of the Greater Salisbury Committee on a new report that found a severe shortage of childcare programs on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Full interview can be heard on this Friday's Delmarva Today at noon on WSDL and WESM. This is Don Rush for Delmarva Public Media.
