Parents are stressed out.
While half (48%) said they don’t have enough help to tend to their loved ones, 52% reported that it took two months or more to find an appropriate caregiver, according to a survey by Care.com.
Paying for such care, if it can be found, is a financial burden for many families. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, families should spend no more than 7% of their income on affordable childcare, but the average household spends more than three times that on childcare. If elder and pet care are included, along with housekeeping, the amount spent jumps to 40% of the household income.
The result is that 90% of the 3,000 parents surveyed said they are losing sleep. Meanwhile, seven in 10 said they were experiencing health issues and 75% reported a sense of dread. Almost 30% said the stress was causing them to consider suicide or self-harm.
“The level of stress and mental load on parents today has reached unacceptable heights, spurring detrimental outcomes,” said Brad Wilson, CEO of Care.com, in a statement. “The need for support is more dire than ever. Without it, the well-being of not just parents, but children and seniors, too, is at risk.”
Care.com said that the average parent cares for five loved ones, including children, parents, and pets. A majority of the parents (66%) are employed full-time, while 13% work part-time.
Working parents aren’t getting much help from their employers. Few employers with 500 or more employees provide on-site childcare (9%) or some type of subsidy (16%), according to Mercer’s Survey on Health and Benefit Strategies for 2025. The landscape is slightly better for employers with 5,000 workers or more, with 13% and 23% providing on-site childcare and subsidies, respectively.
Meanwhile, 20% of all companies provide, or expect to provide, access to backup eldercare services, while 34% say the same about referrals and consultations to help parents find assistance.
Some states have passed legislation designed to ease the crisis. For example, HR Brew reported last year that Florida passed legislation allowing businesses that open childcare facilities either on or near their worksite to claim 50% of the development costs on their taxes. It also allows employers to deduct 100% of the amount they spend on funding childcare, up to $3,600 per child.
Texas also provides tax credits to owners of childcare facilities. Meanwhile, Kentucky will match employers’ contributions to childcare though the amount depends on the parents’ income.
This report was originally published by HR Brew.