Childcare issues continue to persist for Delaware as providers and parents urge lawmakers to make a change

DELAWARE. – Early childcare is one of the many key issues facing Delaware’s lawmakers. Parents and providers have made it clear to state officials that they want greater investments in child- care.

Findings from a study by Rodel and partner advocacy groups revealed that cost prohibits 83% of Delawareans from all income backgrounds from affording childcare. One local parent, Toni Dickerson, said the cost isn’t allocated across the state.

“Let’s be real, even somebody making $20 an hour that’s a single parent, they’re not going to afford at least 1,000 a month in child care.”

Dickerson is currently facing the issues head on. She, along with other parents, experience long waitlists, inadequate staffing, and quality concerns.

She told WMDT it has made it difficult to manage, but she has made it work.

“My daughter has hearing loss, so she has a hearing aid, but she has zero access to a sign language community. With her hearing loss being potentially progressive, it’s going to become a reality for our lives.”

The current state of childcare has huge impacts on the Spanish, Haitian, and Creole speaking households. Rhondalin Cannon-Tingle runs ‘Rhonda’s Little Angels’ childcare program. She said those students need extra assistance.

“One little girl that started, she spoke no English at all. I’ve had her now for over a year and a half, and she talks just as well as I do now.” According to the survey, the state is behind neighboring states in many education categories. Cannon-Tingle urges lawmakers to take a stand, and bring Delaware education back on its feet.

“It’s hard to keep staff, and the wages are low. If you look at our neighboring states, what they’re getting reimbursed for POC and their Head Start programs, we don’t compare. We’re at the bottom of the totem pole.”

Despite it all, Dickerson is remaining hopeful things can change for the better.

“So much cheaper to support children in early intervention, rather than support them as middle or high school students reading at a kindergarten level.”

Cannon Tingle tells us she’s had discussions with Delaware’s U.S Senator Sarah McBride and hopes they can collaborate to improve the current system.