LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — This week has been declared Children’s Week in the Nevada legislature. The campaign highlights children’s policy issues and the lack of availability of affordable childcare.
According to data compiled by The Children’s Cabinet, the average annual price of licensed care in Clark County for infants is $14,139. The average annual cost of childcare for children over the age of 4 is $11,751.
Because of those high costs, the federal government has allocated millions of dollars to support families seeking child care. The money will also be going to childcare providers to make sure high quality, early learning opportunities are accessible throughout the entire state.
According to the staff at The Children’s Cabinet, 90% of brain development happens before the age of 5, so these programs can be critical for early development.
“One of the barriers can be just to have accessible childcare near families, sometimes transportation is a barrier, and oftentimes the funding to pay for child care is a barrier,” said Danielle Holmes with The Children’s Cabinet.
Details on the resources and funding available to parents and providers can be found here.
