Letter to the Editor: Working parents are feeling child care crunch

As an early childhood administrator and mother of two young children, I understand firsthand the financial barriers that often hold back many Delaware families from accessing quality education and care for their children.

I am the enrollment and community outreach coordinator at St. Michael’s School and Nursery, located in downtown Wilmington. At St. Michael’s — a place that’s been a lifeline for families for generations — I see families struggling to make ends meet due to the astronomical cost of child care, combined with their regular monthly expenses. Oftentimes in the state of Delaware, a child care bill for just one child can be as much as a rent or mortgage payment. The amount doubles and then some if you are trying to enroll more than one child into child care. This is a losing financial model for so many families.

As an administrator in the early education field, I also understand the importance of quality early learning experiences, and I know how critical it is for children to learn and grow in a nurturing, educational environment.

Families across the state deserve greater access to these quality educational experiences for their children.

With the high cost of child care, many families in Delaware and across the nation are now having to choose between the family they want and the family they can afford, unfortunately. Working parents face enough barriers and challenges as it is. With more state investments in early care and education, Delaware can ease the burden that’s bearing down on our families.

Join the movement and tell legislators to help Delaware families access quality child care: bit.ly/JFCFY24_ActNow.

Ashlinn Steele Lorenzana

Wilmington