Daycare Costs | Video

Jessica Roose | 10/24/2012

We`ve talked about the rising costs of childcare and heard about the burden it often puts on families. Today we will hear from the perspective of the providers. Parents pay an average of $672 a month to have an infant in childcare, which is a big chunk of change for one family. But after that money gets divided up for things like food, employees and even the center`s building, it doesn`t seem like so much to the provider.

Sandee Jenkin has been an in home daycare provider for about 12-years. She says she loves what she does but over the years she, like many providers, has had to increase her rates.

"Our cost of living for electricity, heating, all of the repairs, you have a lot of wear and tear doing daycare. It`s just hitting us from all directions."

She says as a private provider she does receive some funding from the government, to go towards the food that she provides. But that`s not the only thing she has to keep in mind when determining what she will charge.

"It is my profession, I think I do very well at it and I need to be compensated for what I do and there is a huge demand for daycare providers now."

Jenkin says she gets calls all the time, including one recently from an expectant mother, who will need childcare in April. And hers isn`t the only place that`s filling up.

Daycare centers, like Super Kids Jr. Academy in Bismarck, are full in every room and have a waiting list.

"I do tours, you know, daily of people that are moving into the city with children from out of state. Moving in for oil and all of the jobs that we have here in North Dakota," said director Tammy Anderson.

Anderson says the increased demand hasn`t forced the center to raise the rates, but they have over the years for many of the same reasons as Jenkin.

"We do whatever we can to have the highest quality daycare."

Which is all any parent can ask for.

With many places already full or filling to capacity it`s a good idea to start looking for childcare before the baby is even born.

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