CareShare is expanding the successful “nanny share” pilot program. At a time when most daycares have been forced to close or scale back considerably and many are in danger of shutting down completely, parents need creative child care solutions like CareShare more than ever. Childcare businesses operate on razor-thin margins, and most child care providers—disproportionately women of color—are among Cincinnati’s working poor.
In Hamilton county, 78% of child care providers are unable to afford a localized budget for just one individual--much less the cost of supporting their own children. In addition, our families have long struggled to obtain and afford quality child care. Mothers of color are more likely to report difficulty finding childcare, and that they need better access to care to find a higher-paying or more interesting job.
CareShare is a worker- and parent-owned cooperative child care business that brings together parents and childcare providers to care for up to five children in a family home. By facilitating the matching process, payroll and taxes for “nanny shares,” CareShare expands access to small settings and personalized early education, while ensuring teachers are paid at least $15/hour with benefits.
Using CareShare’s multi-stakeholder cooperative model, childcare providers have agency over their conditions of work, while families tailor care to their needs. Our communities benefit when children receive quality care, parents are able to work the schedule that works for them, and childcare providers’ work is compensated fairly. This is all done through small customized, home based childcare groups that will be hugely beneficial during the recovery from COVID-19.
