NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee parents and childcare facilities are facing mounting challenges, according to a new state report that sheds light on critical issues with accessibility, low wages for childcare employees, and retention, while providing possible solutions.
The report by the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) was requested by the General Assembly through the passage of SB 2063, which was sponsored by Sen. Charlane Oliver (D-Nashville).
The report revealed Tennessee childcare employees are among the lowest paid in the country, making an average wage of $13.21/hour, and childcare directors cannot afford to pay them more.
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“Childcare directors told commission staff that they are regularly losing workers to retail establishments like Target and Walmart, or casual restaurants like McDonald’s or Chick-fil-A,” Bob Moreo, a research manager for TACIR said.
In addition, childcare deserts are a problem across the state. Eight counties in Tennessee have zero DHS-licensed providers available to care for infants under 12 months, and 10 counties only have one, according to the report. This has forced parents, especially women, out of the workforce, impacting Tennessee’s economy.
“Among all Tennessee workers who are not currently employed, more than one in
six cite caregiving as the reason they are not working,” the report said.
Strict and inconsistent codes and fire regulations at the state and local levels have placed limitations on expanding childcare access, according to the study.
“Requirements like these eliminate certain properties that could otherwise be used for childcare facilities, and they can drive up costs because of the need to acquire larger lots,” Moreo said.
New mom, Macey Lewis knew how difficult it would be to find childcare, so she started looking for facilities when she was just three months pregnant.
“We put out to every single daycare in the area that we knew of because we were so afraid we weren’t going to be able to get in,” Lewis said.
Lewis couldn’t find childcare until a few months after having her son. Following her maternity leave, her boss let her work from home until a facility had an opening, but not every parent is as lucky.
“You’re already stressed as a new mom; you’ve got all these other things to worry about,” Lewis said. “You really don’t want to add that to the list.”
The report includes some potential solutions to some of the issues Lewis and other parents face, including using vacant public schools to increase the number of childcare centers, launching a statewide financial incentive for childcare employees who stay at their jobs, and exempting certain childcare facilities from state business taxes.
However, the report acknowledged these solutions don’t solve every problem.
“It was very revealing what we are facing in Tennessee, and not only revealing but somewhat disheartening,” Sen. Oliver said. “The wages that our childcare workers are facing in this state, I feel like this is something we should have at the top of our list in our legislature to do something.”
To read the full draft report, click here.
The final report will be released in Jan. 2025.
