Affordable child care helps parents stay in the workforce and earn money to provide for their families, but for some Michigan parents, it’s a difficult balance to achieve. When Hannah Gilliam of Grand Rapids had her first child at a young age, she couldn’t afford the higher standard of child care she wanted. She’s now a mother of five, and says her family makes sacrifices to ensure her three youngest are getting decent care.
“Even with achieving higher education, and even with finding stable employment where they pay you a living wage, I’m still struggling with the same issues that I did as an 18-year-old mom, which is affordability.”
Michigan lawmakers are considering proposals in the next budget that could help more families afford child care, including increasing the state’s low eligibility threshold for child care assistance. It’s estimated that move could help 2,000 families. Another proposal would increase payments for child care providers to help hire and retain staff and ensure facilities meet health and safety requirements.
