NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The 2023 Tennessee Child Well-Being Report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation ranks Tennessee 36 out of 50. The state improved in some areas but still needs work in others to help children and families.
One of the biggest findings is that lack of affordable and accessible child care for young children is affecting what jobs parents take or keep.
The Kids Count Data Book reports from 2020 to 2021, 12 percent of children from birth to 5 years old live in families where someone quit, changed jobs, or refused a job because of childcare conflicts.
Women are five to eight times more likely than men to experience negative employment consequences related to caregiving.
Tennessee's average cost for child care is nearly $8,000 which is 8 percent of the median income for married couples and 27 percent of a single parent's income.
Adding to this issue is the fact that childcare workers are paid worse than 98 percent of professionals.
The report recommends more investment into childcare from local, state, and federal governments because it is necessary for a prosperous workforce and healthy child development.
Some good news from the report, the child poverty rate as of 2021 sits at the lowest rate the state has seen at 18 percent, which is nearly in line with the national average. You can read other findings in the full report here.
