Research Corner: Demand for child care exceeds supply

Licensed child care providers offer safe and reliable environments for children to learn, play, and grow. Without a safe or trusted place to care for their children, many parents are forced to make sacrifices in their careers, such as quitting, not taking, or making significant changes to a job. This is especially the case for mothers of young children, where nearly 20% of moms with children under six do not participate in the labor force, according to Colorado’s Common Sense Institute.

When it comes to accessing licensed child care, cost and availability often make it prohibitive for working parents (Colorado is the fifth most expensive state for infant care). In addition to high costs, there are only enough licensed child care slots for two-thirds of children in families where both parents are in the workforce. According to the Colorado Children’s Campaign’s 2025 Kids Count in Colorado! data, there are 246,991 Colorado children under 6 with both parents in the workforce. Meanwhile, there are 164,977 available child care slots, leaving 82,014 fewer slots than children in need of child care.

Child care availability varies across the state. Explore this map of child care deserts to examine how your community meets demand for child care.

Colorado Municipalities Magazine’s October issue focuses on Human Resources and will explore child care as a benefit for municipal employees by examining municipalities with programs that offer some sort of support for employees with young children.

Need for child care in Colorado outstrips supply