Everyday I find myself wrapped up in the middle of the childcare issue as a mom with two children and a provider of child and family mental health services throughout Aroostook County. I was personally impacted by the closure of Miss Jordyn’s in Caribou leaving me scrambling to find another spot for my 18-month-old. Many of my colleagues and friends continue to struggle with childcare and have had to reduce their work hours, change their schedule or leave the workforce altogether.
For decades, research has shown how important the first five years of life are for development, impacting things such as mental health disorders, academic abilities and future relationships. Everyday I work with youth and families whose lives could be improved by having access to quality childcare. Bessel Van Der Kolk discusses how investing in our youth more than pays for itself by reducing welfare costs, increasing tax revenue and reducing crime and incarceration.
The current economic situation has created a need for dual-income households and thus increases the demand for professional childcare.
A viable solution to this childcare crisis is to include funding for care of children ages zero to five in our public education budgets. Sen. Troy Jackson has already begun work on the childcare issue but has been limited in his ability to make large-scale change. Let’s support him and our community’s families and fix the childcare crisis!
Melanie Tompkins
Mapleton