J Am Coll Radiol . 2021 Jan 19;S1546-1440(20)31398-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2020.12.021. Online ahead of print.
Sara Maukopf, Elliot K Fishman, Steven P Rowe, Linda C Chu
Affordable, high-quality childcare is a huge challenge for most working families. The cost of childcare has increased by a factor of 2,000% from the 1970s to the 2000s [ 1 ]. It is estimated that families in the United States spend approximately $42 billion per year on childcare and early childhood education, and they forgo another $30 to $35 billion in income because the high cost of childcare leads many parents to leave the paid labor force or reduce their paid work hours. In addition, the government spends $34 billion per year in early care and education [ 2 ]. It has been shown that early education can improve children’s cognitive and emotional development, long-term academic achievements, access to better jobs with higher earning potentials, and positive health benefits [ 3 ]. Many talented people in the technology sector are coming up with new innovative solutions on how we communicate, order food, or entertain ourselves. Despite the magnitude and importance of the childcare problem, few companies seem interested in helping parents and childcare providers to navigate this fragmented marketplace.
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