New Jersey Voters Say Finding Quality, Affordable Child Care Is Difficult and a Major Barrier for Working Parents

Majority of voters think the issue has a large impact on the state's economy, according to Rutgers-Eagleton poll

A sizeable majority of voters, regardless of political party identification, say that finding quality, affordable child care is difficult in New Jersey and a significant barrier to parents' employment with effects on the state's businesses and economy, according to a Rutgers-Eagleton Poll in collaboration with Start Strong NJ.

"When voters talk about affordability in this election, child care is part of that story," said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Pollingat Rutgers University-New Brunswick. "While it's not always discussed explicitly, child care is inextricably intertwined with economic well-being and opportunity for many voters."

"These survey results won't surprise hardworking parents in New Jersey who struggle to balance economically supporting their families and giving their children the strong start they need in life," said Atiya Weiss, executive director of the Burke Foundationin Princeton, N.J., which helps fund Start Strong NJ. "The findings should convince policymakers that child care is essential infrastructure, just like roads, schools, broadband, power lines, and many other things we invest in as a society for the well-being of communities and the state's economic health."

Nearly 7 in 10 likely voters say it is "very" (34%) or "somewhat" (34%) difficult to find quality and affordable child care in New Jersey. A majority of voters, regardless of partisanship, gender, race and ethnicity, age, income, and education, feel it is at least somewhat difficult to find care. Nonparents and parents alike agree, though parents are more likely to say it is difficult (77%) than nonparents (65%).

Slightly more than 6 in 10 voters say finding quality, affordable child care in the state poses a "major barrier" for parents who want to work (61%). Twenty percent say this is a "minor barrier" and 5% say it is "not a barrier at all."

A plurality of voters, regardless of partisanship, gender, race and ethnicity, age, income, and education, say finding quality, affordable care is a "major barrier" for working parents. There is no statistically significant difference between parents and nonparents.

Seven in 10 voters think the lack of quality, affordable child care in New Jersey has a "great deal" of (31%) or "some" (39%) impact on the state's businesses and economy. Ten percent say it impacts the economy "only a little" and 6% say "not at all."

Again, a majority of voters regardless of partisanship, gender, race and ethnicity, age, income and education, say the lack of quality, affordable care has at least some impact on the state's economy. There is no statistically significant difference between parents and non-parents.

Among those for whom the questions were applicable, 51% say they or someone they know has had difficulty finding quality child care in the past five years and 63% say they or someone they know has had difficulty affording quality child care in the past five years.

There is a sizeable 15-point-or-more gap between knowing and not knowing someone who has had difficulty finding child care across all demographic groups, with the exception of Republicans and voters ages 65 and older. In the case of Republicans, 42% know someone who has had difficulty and 34% don't. Thirty-nine percent of those 65 and older know someone who has had difficulty and 30% don't.

A majority of voters regardless of partisanship, gender, race and ethnicity, age, income, and education, say they or someone they know has had difficulty affording care. Parents (73%) are more likely than nonparents (58%) to say they or someone they know has had difficulty affording care.

"What's striking about these findings is how broad the consensus is - for once, this isn't a partisan issue, it's a practical one," Koning said. "Voters recognize that when child care isn't accessible or affordable, it limits opportunity for parents and affects the state's economic health - themes that have defined much of this campaign."

Results are from a statewide poll of 795 voters contacted via live calling and texting from Oct. 3 to Oct. 17. The likely voter sample has a margin of error of +/- 4.7 percentage points. The registered voter sample has a margin of error of +/- 4.6 percentage points.