AUSTIN, Texas —
Many child care providers are having a hard time filling positions, putting extra pressure on the workers they already have.
Local advocates and government leaders are working to help places hire qualified workers.
The struggle for many families to find affordable child care is not unique to Central Texas – it's a problem statewide.
One of the issues is staffing shortages. Providers say there aren't enough spots for new kids because many centers have a hard time hiring qualified workers.
"These caregivers are giving 100% of their attention to children all day, every day. And so, when there are less of them, that means that they're stretched even even thinner," said Madison Mattise, the senior director of Early Childhood Center Services at United Way for Greater Austin.
Some child care centers can't compete with the salaries big companies and franchise chains can offer.
"Since the pandemic, that has been super hard. Now that everybody – I feel like everyone just kind of, you know, raised salaries and just everybody's trying to get workers," said Alejandra Gardner, director of House of Little Angels Learning Center. "We try to also remain affordable so that our parents can feel like you're getting good quality care. Because you are getting really good quality care here, but you're also able to live a life outside of just paying for child care."
The cycle of the staffing shortage is that providers can't pay their employees more without charging more. If they charge more, the care wouldn't be affordable for parents. So they can only help a limited number of families.
"The average cost of infant care is already on par or more than a semester at UT. And you haven't had 18 years to save for that, right?" said Alison Bentley, the vice president of Impact over Data and Evaluation at United Way for Greater Austin.
Yesenia Gloria is a 4-year-old teacher at House of Little Angels Learning Center. She said she loves children, but even the smallest task can get a little hectic.
"Sometimes, it gets a little crazy. I'm like, 'Oh my gosh.' Like, 'I'm just trying to get through the book,'" Gloria said. "At the same time, it's like, you know, they're interested. At least I have their interest."
Alejandra Gardner, the director of the center where Gloria works, said with an influx of new students, the center needs more help.
"It's hard to be with kids all day and having to change diapers. And you know, the kids are screaming, there's yelling, there's running. There's, you know, all kinds of stuff," Gardner said.
Her staff has to skip breaks, come in early or stay late to fill the gaps.
"A lot of times, we need that hour, hour and a half just to decompress. When you're not able to give that, I feel like you're putting a lot on their shoulders," Gardner said.
But she also said providers don't want to sacrifice care.
"You don't want somebody just coming in off the side of the road like, 'Hey, I want to work with kids.' Like, no, we can't do that," Gardner said.
Challenges in child care can really stack up, and being short-staffed can add to that. Not having enough teachers can create holes in the foundation – but what's being done to fix that is happening outside the classrooms.
"We aim to promote the recruitment and retention of early childhood professionals," said Cristela Perez-Riddel, program director for the Child Care Services Program at Workforce Solutions Capital Area.
WorkForce Solutions offers wage stipends to boost child care workers' salaries with funding from the city of Austin and Travis County.
But some say there are too many restrictions.
"There's too much red tape," Gardner said. "I would love to be able to offer that to my staff. I know they could use it, but I can't."
The requirements include that workers must earn less than $21 an hour, be full-time and be employed for at least six months.
Perez-Riddel said the eligibility requirements were recently increased. The minimum salary workers must earn was raised from $18 an hour to $21, and Workforce Solutions opened the stipends up to all workers and not just those with a Child Development Associate credential or higher.
"We would love to be able to offer wage supplements to all early childhood educators, but the funds just aren't there," Perez-Riddel said.
WorkForce Solutions used "American Rescue Plan Act" (ARPA) funds to help more workers get the stipend, going from 160 workers in 2022 to 444 in 2023. But those funds won't last.
"A lot of those funding mechanisms are ending at the end of this year or, you know, already have ended. So we anticipate those gaps seeing the same or growing," Alison Bentley with United Way said.
Travis County leaders are already looking ahead.
"That money is running out. It was for a certain amount of time. And so, now, we're trying to think of what other things we can do as a county government to make it easier for child care providers," Travis County Judge Andy Brown said.
The Travis County Commissioners Court recently approved property tax exemptions for qualifying child care providers, and the city of Austin offers the same tax breaks. Mayor Kirk Watson said he would make child care a top priority when he was elected.
"When I get into office, the first thing I want to do, on the very first day, is I want to create a blue ribbon task force that will focus on child care. Because I want Austin to be the best city in America to raise a kid," Watson said the night he was elected.
Last year, the Austin City Council approved $1.8 million in workforce development and eased zoning restrictions for child care providers.
KVUE reached out to the mayor to ask what more needs to be done. Watson declined a request for an interview, but sent this statement:
“Increasing access to quality, affordable childcare is the key to unlocking economic opportunity throughout our community, but it is a multi-faceted challenge that demands a coordinated response.
We can create a robust, equitable childcare system and, in doing so, address our affordability crisis by expanding economic opportunity. The City Council has already acted on some specific tools to help childcare providers, including a reduction in regulatory burdens and a full property tax exemption for qualified childcare centers.
In addition, we’re launching the Austin Infrastructure Academy, which will be a workforce training hub housed at Austin Community College. By providing access to childcare through the Academy, we’ll be eliminating a significant barrier that has kept many Austinites from fully participating in our prosperity.
For Austin, Texas, to be a complete city, a city where everyone can have a good life, a life where they can afford to make a living here, have their children grow up here, and enjoy and take part in everything Austin has to offer, we must give more people the opportunities to have good-paying, long-term, meaningful careers that will sustain and support families. Access to affordable, quality childcare is integral to that objective.”
Organizations like United Way for Greater Austin say they are waiting to see what comes next.
"We are excited to see what the end of ARPA, what will come forward from the city and county and mayor's office and what have you. But we know that something's going to have to give," Madison Mattise said.
Atelier Preescolar is one child care center among those that are at capacity. It receives support from United Way and other organizations.
"Oh my God, I don't think we could keep running without them," Atelier Preescolar Director Susana Alverdi said.
The center can't take any more students without more staff.
"We want to support more families in Austin," Alverdi said.
Regardless of what support they get, providers agree the children will always come first.