Childcare “crisis:” Southern Colorado leaders gather to discuss lack of affordable, accessible childcare in Pikes Peak Region
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Several southern Colorado leaders are highlighting, what they call a crisis, due to a lack of affordable and accessible child care in the Colorado Springs area.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor statistics, the 2024 yearly median cost of preschool-center based childcare in El Paso County was $15,343.
Cost is not the only factor, as some leaders say there’s far more kids than there are spots available in child care centers.
According to Early Connections Learning Center, there are 54,000 kids ages five and under in El Paso County. They say there are 18,300 spots available in child care centers, and 16,000 spots are still needed.
“Without this, our economy will suffer,” Liz Denson with Early Connections Learning Centers said. “If a quarter of our workforce is not working because they can’t find childcare, we’re not attracting new businesses to come here. We need every bit of our workforce supporting our economy.”
UCCS Economic Forum Director Bill Craighead says, if child care does not become more accessible, it could drive young families away.
“It might cause some of those people to not want to stay,” Craighead said, explaining there could be further economic impacts. “Then the employers will see that as something that’s holding back their ability to attract talent. And they’ll think, ‘do we expand in Colorado Springs or do we expand in a city where our employees can get childcare?’”
Craighead also says demand is likely going to increase for child care in the Pikes Peak Region over the next 15 years, with the area being home to a relatively large population of people in their early 30s.
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