High child care costs mean 1 in 4 women delay or decide against having children

One in four women have decided against having children altogether, or are delaying having one, because of the high cost of quality preschool and child care, according to the anti-crime organisation “Fight Crime: Invest in Kids”.

28% of women aged 25-34 have delayed starting a family or decided against having a second or subsequent child.

Law enforcement leaders are calling on Congress to increase support for child care and Head Start. Research shows that when at-risk children receive quality child care and Head Start, they are less likely to end up in trouble with the law when they grow up.

Key findings of the poll:

• 33% of middle-income ($35k-$50k) women said the cost of child care was too high not to delay having children.
• 68% of 18-40s women said issues surrounding childcare and early education was important in deciding who to vote for.
• 33% of women aged 18-40 with children said they had to make difficult economic choices, such as putting off the purchase of an appliance.

“Early education is an investment in crime prevention. Ensuring that kids have a seat in a high quality early education program helps prevent them from ending up in the back seat of a police cruiser. Keeping our communities safe begins with early education,” said Napoleon Police Chief Darryl Bulzomi.