Impacts on Working Parents
During the pandemic, the way we work changed dramatically, forcing working parents to adapt to a new reality in order to balance work and childcare.
San Diego parents report the following shifts:2
43%
had to shift their regular work schedule to care for children
42%
shifted to working from home
27%
are currently looking or planning to look for a new job in the next six months
Even prior to the pandemic, the high cost of care and lack of available options presented parents with serious challenges.
$19,000+
The annual cost of care for one infant in a licensed childcare center in San Diego costs over $19,000.4
Many parents are forced to make a difficult decision — stay engaged in the workforce or care for their children themselves.
“Basically my wife would have been working full time just to pay for the childcare.”
— Dad from Chula Vista3
Finding care that meets their family’s needs represents a challenge for the majority of working parents with children ages 6 and under in San Diego.2
76% said finding affordable childcare in their area is an issue
70% had difficulty finding childcare that meets their expectations
68% said that finding childcare for a full working day is an issue
In addition to a lack of access to quality, affordable full-day childcare, many parents indicated additional challenges related to obtaining support for children.2
41%
said that having healthy food options for their children was a challenge
42%
noted difficulty accessing adequate healthcare for their children
51%
indicated challenges with having support with parenting from a partner, friend, or family member
While COVID-19 has had broad-reaching effects, San Diegans furthest from opportunity often experienced outsized pandemic-related challenges.
94%
of parents who reported being very uneasy about their financial outlook confirmed a challenge in finding childcare.2
In San Diego, those most likely to have experienced job loss, lost opportunities at work, and financial uncertainty during the pandemic are:
- Lower-income workers
- Working parents without college degrees
- Single parents/sole decision-makers
- Women, and especially women of color
In the San Diego region, 65% of low-income jobs are held by people of color, and 56% are held by women. These workers saw the greatest unemployment rates during the pandemic.5
According to the San Diego Regional EDC, the pandemic widened inequality, disproportionately impacting low-income workers.5
Many working parents in San Diego experienced a shift in their employment status. A higher likelihood of unemployment was reported by those without a college degree.
Those with less than a college degree were more likely to have experienced a significant cut in their income during the pandemic.2
Parents who identify as sole decision-makers for their children were more likely to experience negative work-related impacts.
Sole decision-makers were more likely to have to shift their schedule to care for children, and to experience decreased hours or job loss.2
In San Diego, women have disengaged from the workforce due to childcare-related challenges at greater rates than their male counterparts.
Women were more likely than men to have to quit their job, reduce their hours, or make the decision not to look for a job due to a lack of childcare.2
Women of color were the most likely to have had to quit their job, reduce their hours or make the decision not to look for a job due to a lack of childcare.2
Of those surveyed, women were most likely to report challenges with the following issues:2
59% had a hard time getting professional help to support children with stressful or difficult situations
54% struggled with knowing how to access nonprofit or government support for families
56% said that getting support with parenting from a partner, friend, or family member was a challenge
52%
of women had to shift their work schedules to care for children, compared to 30% of men.2
“I had to quit my job. I couldn't afford to pay for daycare. I'm a single mother...I'll struggle in silence.”
— Mom from San Diego3
