SALT LAKE CITY — It's not good news for working parents; a newly released report from Voices for Utah Children found that Utah nearly two-thirds of children in the state may not have access to child care centers by 2024.
Mapping Care for Kids reports that because of a 75 percent reduction in funding from the American Rescue Plan, the federal program that sought to ease the financial fallout from COVID, a majority of child care centers in the state could close.
Utah is one of six states nationwide where over half of their child care centers could shut down.
Voices for Children's report says that rural families will be the hardest hit, where child care would take up over 40 percent of an average family's income.
If nothing changes, Utah's child care centers will have to raise rates or close down.
Child care stabilization grants will end in spring of 2024 unless federal action is taken.
Click HERE for a copy of the report.
