The following is a press release from Children at Risk:

In Lubbock County, approximately 2,700 low-income children with working parents do not have access to quality child care. Texas has 1.1 million children under the age of 5 with working parents. Nearly one-third of those children live in low-income families. Child care is expensive, and some low-income working families have access to child care through a subsidy program. But in many areas, there are not enough subsidized programs, or the programs offered are not high quality – creating “child care deserts.”

“Families who can’t access or afford quality child care are put at risk,” says Dr. Bob Sanborn, president and CEO of CHILDREN AT RISK. “Quality child care ensures kids are ready for Kindergarten, and increases the chance they will graduate from high school and earn a higher income. These maps help to identify areas of Lubbock that are in great need of quality child care.”

Key Facts:

  • The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) receives over half a billion dollars per year for child care. TWC serves over 100,000 kids on average each day. 
  • 75% of low-income Texas children with working parents live in a ZIP code classified as a subsidized child care desert. 
  • Lubbock County has higher subsidy participation than Texas as a whole, but among the lowest Texas Rising Star (TRS) participation. 
  • Lubbock County has a lower proportion of TRS 4-star certifications than the state as whole, as a share of overall TRS certifications. 
  • Approximately 4,000 low-income children with working parents in Lubbock County do not have access to a subsidized child care seat. 
  • Nearly 2,700 low-income children with working parents in Lubbock County do not have access to a TRS-certified child care seat. 

On this fifth stop of a 9-city tour, CHILDREN AT RISK will unveil a map for school districts, state agencies, community organizations, cities and counties to use to identify areas across the state that are in need of quality child care. Texas Rising Star (TRS) is the state’s quality rating system for child care. Only 4% of child care spots in Lubbock are TRS certified.

Quality child care helps schools, families and the economy. It lowers incarceration rates and reduces the use of drugs and alcohol later in life. Access to reliable, affordable, quality child care gives mothers the chance to get back into the labor force, and helps parents keep their jobs and maintain a steady income. 

“It is our goal to improve the quality of subsidized child care providers and help parents identify quality care. This helps our working parents and it helps our children,” says Dr. Sanborn.

On this statewide tour, CHILDREN AT RISK will host roundtable discussions about access to quality child care with nonprofits, child care providers, public officials and community leaders; engage local governments and organizations with innovative efforts around early education; and invite input from local business leaders, on the impact early education has on our current and future workforce.

About CHILDREN AT RISK
CHILDREN AT RISK is a non-profit organization leading the way to improving the quality of life for Texas’ children through research, collaboration, and advocacy. CHILDREN AT RISK educates the community and public officials based on its groundbreaking research which tracks children’s health, safety, education, and economic conditions. By understanding children’s needs and speaking out on their behalf, CHILDREN AT RISK drives change. For more information, visit www.childrenatrisk.org, Facebook and Twitter. To learn more about the Child Care Deserts, visit www.childrenatrisk.org/childcaredeserts.

(News release from Children at Risk)