“All Our Future Money Is Gone”: The Impossible Task of Providing Child Care in Rural Illinois
This short article was produced for ProPublica's Local Reporting Network in collaboration with Capitol News Illinois. _ A part of the reporting in Alexander County is supported by moneying from the Pulitzer. Register for Dispatches to get stories like this one as quickly as they are released.
Reporting Highlights
Childcare Gap: About 70% of rural Illinoisans reside in a childcare desert, requiring difficult options on moms and dads: Some drive 100 miles a day or more to discover care, others leave the labor force.
Company Crisis: Illinois lost 4,300 companies in a years, a 33% decrease. Those intending to open brand-new centers deal with huge difficulties, from high start-up expenses to overloaded l...