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
Innovators, healers, bridge-builders: UC College of Medicine students earn prestigious 2026 honors
May 8, 2026
Three University of Cincinnati College of Medicine students earned the 2026 Presidential Medal of Graduate Student Excellence and Presidential Leadership Medal of Excellence for service, scholarship and impact.
How a SCOTUS decision could impact a Cincinnati ban
May 6, 2026
Ryan Thoreson, associate professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, spoke to WVXU's Cincinnati Edition about a Cincinnati ban on conversion therapy in light of a recent Supreme Court ruling.
What can oral health tell us about kidney health?
May 6, 2026
A recent article published in BMC Nephrology points to a connection between oral health and kidney health, citing evidence analyzed by University of Cincinnati College of Medicine researchers. The article shows an association between oral diseases and chronic kidney disease. Priyanka Gudsoorkar, assistant professor-educator in the Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, recently appeared on Cincinnati Edition on 91.7 WVXU News, to discuss the latest findings.