Child Care Costs Could Top College: Report

A new report is offering a startling look at just how expensive child care is for parents in North Texas.

New numbers show, in 2012, costs grew up to eight times faster than the family income.

Researchers with Child Care Aware of America point out that child care is a major expense in family budgets. It can often be more than housing, food or transportation, and it's gotten so expensive it can cost more than a college education.

According to a new report, here’s the average annual cost for child care at a child care facility in Texas:

  • Infant - $8,495
  • Four year old - $6,547
  • School age - $3,119

The non-profit group says unlike college tuition, child care is something working parents typically don't save up for.

The non-profit's 70-page report addresses the impacts quality child care can have. The study found kids can have better reading and math skills, are more likely to attend college, earn higher wages, and are less likely to be caught up in crime.

Researchers also point out the importance of quality child care on brain development.  Kids who start behind in kindergarten, often stay behind in school.  Ultimately, that can impact the country's future when it comes to sustaining the economy with a competitive workforce.

Employers report that good child care improves parents’ productivity with fewer missed days of work.

The group says right now several proposals in Congress will help improve quality child care for the approximately 11 million kids in the country who rely on it.

Read the complete report here: Child Care Aware of America

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