Rising childcare prices could harm the economy
Fox19 reports parents are considering leaving the workforce due to increased costs
Childcare costs have spiked in recent years, forcing parents to make tough decisions that could negatively affect the economy, Fox19 reported.
David Brasington, PhD, James C. and Caroline Kautz Chair in Political Economy and professor of economics
The childcare industry, including both centers and at-home care, hasn’t recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. With a decreased supply of childcare providers, prices have significantly increased.
David Brasington, PhD, the James C. and Caroline Kautz Chair in Political Economy and economics professor in the University of Cincinnati's Carl H. Lindner College of Business, has experienced this firsthand.
“I used to pay $10 an hour for help with my kids, and then it was $12 ... and then it was $15, and the last summer, I tried to get care for my own kids, babysitters wanted $23 an hour,” Brasington said.
With skyrocketing costs, some families are debating whether they should have fewer kids or if a parent should leave the workforce and become a stay-at-home parent.
“And that’s going to hurt businesses’ ability to attract workers,” Brasington said. “It hurts parents‘ ability to earn wages, and it affects the kids’ experiences. There’s a lot of benefit to interaction between parents and kids, but I think there’s also something kids learn from being in a childcare setting.”
Featured image at top: A woman and a group of toddlers sit on a couch. Photo/krakenimages via Unsplash
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
Will a gas tax help lower prices at the pump?
May 14, 2026
WCPO recently reported on Kentucky and Indiana’s steps to combat surging gas prices, cutting and suspending state gas taxes, respectively. UC economist Michael Jones explained the impact on Cincinnati.
Is a colonoscopy painful?
May 13, 2026
The University of Cincinnati's Susan Kais, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology in the College of Medicine and UC Health gastroenterologist, recently appeared on the ARC Cincinnati morning program on Local 12/WKRC-TV to answer common questions from viewers about colonoscopies and to dispel myths.
Telescope captures information about lonely Jupiter-like gas giant
May 13, 2026
Science outlets highlight a University of Cincinnati student's collaborative discoveries about an exoplanet 901 light years away.