With the release of the Century Foundation’s report: “Child Care Funding Cliff at One Year: Rising Prices, Shrinking Options, and Families Squeezed,” there was a look at challenges in Ohio, but also some praise for measures taken by the state ahead of the expiration of COVID-19-era federal funding.

The report quotes Action for Children in Ohio, saying “‘prudent and forward-thinking investments by state and local government means the flow of ARPA funding’ continued into 2024, despite the expiration of stabilization funds in 2023.”

But there is still a problem. “The annual cost of care for two children in a center is 93% more than the average rent payment and 28% more than the average mortgage payment in Ohio,” according to the study. What child care options are still available after the damage done by the pandemic are often short-staffed.

Julie Kashen, director of women’s economic justice at the Century Foundation, told the Ohio Capital Journal public officials can do something about the challenges by listening to parents and investing in care. At least for the purposes of the Capital Journal’s story, she did not get any more specific than that.

So, what can be done? Good first steps have already been taken in being prudent with ARPA funds. But a long-term solution for affordable, accessible, quality child care — in centers that are fully staffed with well-trained employees and supported in getting the supplies they need — is not easy to piece together.

Efforts are underway. House Bill 576 would supplement federal tax credits “associated with acquiring, constructing, rehabilitating or expanding property used as the employer taxpayer’s qualified child care facility,” operating expenses for child care workers and “qualified resource and referral expenditures,” according to the Capital Journal. HB 577 would offer tax credits to parents, specifically for child care. HB 578 would create a nonrefundable tax credit for financial contributions to child care providers. Senate Bill 273 would create a Child Care Cred program “under which the costs of child care may be shared by eligible employees participating employers and, subject to available funds, the department.”

But whether those efforts will be sustained is another story. They must be. Struggling families can’t wait.