Abstract
Pandemic-related childcare center closures along with virtual schooling forced many Maine parents to juggle their paid work with care responsibilities, often with dire economic consequences. In this article, I examine changes in the state’s childcare landscape and illustrate how the childcare crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic affected Mainers’ economic wellbeing. Using Household Pulse Survey data, I show how care disruptions dampened Mainer’s incomes and their ability to work, placing many in precarious economic situations. I conclude with an investigation of the effectiveness of policy solutions like the Child Tax Credit and further policy suggestions to support childcare in the state.
First page
31
Last page
40
Rights and Access Note
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for non-commercial uses. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
DOI
https://doi.org/10.53558/SJCZ5135
Recommended Citation
Small, Sarah F. . "Facing a Care Crunch: Childcare Disruption and Economic Hardships for Maine Parents during COVID-19." Maine Policy Review 31.1 (2022) : 31 -40, https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mpr/vol31/iss1/3.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
