WATCH: Republicans Fail Their Promises to Fix Iowa’s Childcare Woes

KCRG: Despite Republican promises to fix Iowa’s childcare crisis, Iowa needs 40,000 more childcare slots

Des Moines – Despite Republicans making multiple promises to fix Iowa’s childcare crisis – including Kim Reynolds mentioning it in her annual Condition of the State Address – Iowa is still lacking about 40,000 more childcare slots.

The lack of affordable and accessible child care costs Iowa about $1.1 billion a year in lost earnings and tax revenue. Fourteen percent of Iowans have been forced to quit, change or turn down a job because of childcare issues. Twenty percent of Iowa parents who participated in a Kids Count report said they were fired because of ongoing childcare struggles. 

“Iowa Republicans keep making promises about childcare that they can’t keep. The facts show that the parents of more than 40,000 children in Iowa can’t find childcare,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart. “Iowa’s economic growth is already 49th in the nation. I’m not sure how Republicans plan to fix that if parents can’t go to work because no one will watch their children.” 

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