Hiring shortage extends to day care, creating domino effect for parents who can't return to work

Shortages in employees have been impacting everything from travel to restaurants – and it's made worse when would-be employees can't get access to child care so they can go to work.

Child care centers can be added to the long list of places looking to hire, especially with child care being a barrier in parents returning to work.

WRAL's 5 On Your Side spoke to 30 day care centers across Durham, Wake and Cumberland counties and discovered the majority of centers had a wait list of parents hoping to get care for their children.

While wait lists are common with child care centers, directors said the length of the wait is longer now because, like everyone else, they are struggling to find staff.

Kathy Smith, owner of Little Engine Academy in Durham, said hiring new employees is her biggest struggle at the moment.

"Getting new employees here to work, that’s really been the biggest struggle," she said.

Staffing challenges have Smith working the infant classroom, when normally she wouldn't.

Her small, private center on North Roxboro Road cares for up to 35 kids. Ideally, she usually works with nine teachers, but she currently only has six.

She's actively trying to hire.

Smith said she has scheduled interviews, only to see no-shows, yet another issue employers across the board have been facing.

In some cases, Smith does manage to get people to interview, but once they find out they need specific skills and a background check, they ghost her.

Because of her hiring challenges, she can't take on any new infants until January.

When child care is short-staffed, parents everywhere struggle with the decision to return to work. That causes a domino effect, making it harder for employers in any industry to find employees.

In Zebulon, the director at Hocutt’s Child Care said that until she can get needed staff in place, she’s not even starting a wait list.

In 5 On Your Side's survey of day cares, 39 of 60 said a 3-year-old would be put on a wait list. That wait could extend from several weeks into next year.

A big part of the hiring crisis is pay. Day care positions average $12 an hour in North Carolina.

Ariel Ford, director of Child Development and Early Education for the state Department of Health and Human Services said, "These same child care programs are competing with Amazon, Walmart and Target, which are paying $15, $16 or more an hour, frequently with benefits.

"Because there are not enough teachers, many, many programs are not able to be at full capacity," she said.

She hopes funding from the American Rescue Plan will help.

North Carolina is expecting $1.3 billion dollars.

The grants can be used for everything from rent and utilities to equipment, payroll and training.

Plus, eligible families can get vouchers to help pay for care.

Although there are shortages, Smith said, "Child care is out there. It may not be certain facilities that you want them to be at and stuff, but I would just say continue to keep trying and keep pushing."

Centers are pushing too – to hire, so parents can get needed care for their children as they get back to work.

Child care providers advise that families consider their needs as soon as they know a child is on the way and get on a waiting list even before that child is born.