The White House and the World Health Organization have declared an end to the COVID-19 emergency, but many New Jersey families are dealing with the pandemic’s lingering effects. A new report published by the New Jersey State Policy Lab with the Rutgers University Center for Women and Work has found that the Garden State’s childcare infrastructure has not returned to its pre-pandemic levels, with South Jersey facing some of the greatest challenges.

“Accessing and affording high quality child care is far too challenging for New Jersey families,” said Debra Lancaster, executive director of the Rutgers Center for Women and Work and co-author of the report. “The industry has faced staffing and retention issues for years, and the pandemic made it worse. Without serious public investment that supports equitable access to high quality care and compensates childcare workers for their skills and expertise, we will continue to see instability in the field and families struggling to find care and make ends meet.”

Rutgers researchers analyzed more than 10 years of federal and state data to compile their 100-page report on New Jersey’s childcare landscape, which includes key findings and policy recommendations to bolster the state’s childcare market. They found:

• A quarter of families (24%) experienced a childcare disruption during the pandemic, forcing many parents to cut their hours (23%) or quit their job (8%). Black, Hispanic, LGBTQ+, low-income, and single parents had the hardest time finding care.
• More moms and dads are working, creating a need for more childcare. The share of kids under age 6 with all available parents in the labor force jumped from 63% in 2010 to 69% in 2020. Gloucester (78%) and Atlantic (77%) counties top the list.
• The state’s childcare workforce remains “substantially below its pre-pandemic levels,” even while other industries have rebounded. Salem County has seen the slowest recovery in its childcare workforce, followed by Gloucester County.