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Vermont’s child care shortage affects more than parents and providers. The economy takes a hit too

This hour, Vermont Edition tackles the state's shortage of child care and its ramifications.
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This hour, Vermont Edition tackles the state's child care shortage and its ramifications.

Live call-in discussion: Vermont's child care system is broken. Waitlists at child care centers across the state are months or years long. Once a spot opens up, many families find the price tag can be prohibitively expensive. And many child care providers are struggling to keep their doors open amid labor shortages and COVID-19 infections. This hour, we're looking at Vermont's child care crisis and how it affects local businesses.

The problem has wide-reaching ramifications. Many Vermont employers have a hard time recruiting and retaining employees who can’t find steady child care. Attendance and child care disruptions for working parents cost Vermont employers millions of dollars per year. Ultimately, that hurts the state's workforce and economy at a time when the government is trying to lure more workers to the state.

Our guests are:

  • Samara Mays, owner of Montpelier Children's House
  • Aly Richards, chief executive officer of Let’s Grow Kids
  • Sam Hooper, owner of Vermont Glove in Randolph

Broadcast live on Thursday, April 28, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or tweet us @vermontedition.

Mikaela Lefrak is the host and senior producer of Vermont Edition. Her stories have aired nationally on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Marketplace, The World and Here & Now. A seasoned local reporter, Mikaela has won two regional Edward R. Murrow awards and a Public Media Journalists Association award for her work.
Tedra joined Vermont Public as a producer for Vermont Edition in January 2022 and now serves as the Managing Editor and Senior Producer. Before moving to Vermont, she was a journalist in New York City for 20 years. She has a master’s degree in journalism from New York University.