Spartanburg Leaders Come Together to Address Child Care Challenges and Their Impact on the Community

Approximately 60 community leaders, early childhood advocates, business representatives, elected officials, and other stakeholders gathered October 28 for Child Care Matters: A Spartanburg Community Conversation, hosted by Spartanburg County First Steps at the Dr. T.K. Gregg Community Center.

The event focused on the challenges facing South Carolina's child care system and the far-reaching effects on children, working families, employers, and the broader community.

The morning featured a presentation by Jauntavia Padgett, Director of Advocacy for Spartanburg Academic Movement, highlighting the state of child care in South Carolina. Data shared through The State of Childcare, a resource developed by Spartanburg County First Steps and Spartanburg Academic Movement, illustrated the challenges facing families and child care providers.

Among the statewide findings highlighted:

• One in two South Carolina parents of young children reported missing work or school because of child care challenges during a three-month period.
• 28,351 young children of working parents lack a licensed child care slot close to home, approximately one in eight children in this group.
• $10.96 per hour is the median wage for South Carolina's early childhood caregivers.
• $20,304 annually is the estimated cost of providing infant care at an ABC Quality center.
• Nearly $1 billion annually is lost in South Carolina through employer turnover, absenteeism, and missed tax revenue associated with child care challenges.
• These findings underscored the interconnected nature of child care access, affordability, workforce stability, and the sustainability of early childhood education programs.

A moderated panel discussion brought together representatives from state government, business, education, and child care to examine these challenges from multiple perspectives.

The discussion was moderated by Hoyt Bynum, Executive Director of The Salvation Army Red Shield Center, and featured Connelly-Anne Ragley, Chief External Affairs Officer for the South Carolina Department of Social Services; Jauntavia Padgett of Spartanburg Academic Movement; Allen Smith, President and CEO of OneSpartanburg, Inc.; Dr. Mia Gentry, Owner and Operator of Growing Minds; and Rita Allison, Governor's Appointee to the South Carolina State Board of Education.

South Carolina House Representative Rosalyn Henderson Myers was also in attendance, joining community leaders and stakeholders in recognizing the importance of addressing child care challenges. The participation of state policymakers and agency leaders, including Ragley and Allison, highlighted the value of collaboration across government, business, education, and community organizations.

Following the panel discussion, attendees participated in facilitated tabletop conversations designed to explore how child care challenges affect different members of the community. Participants were encouraged to consider the perspectives of families, child care providers, employers, and others while discussing opportunities for collective action.

The convening emphasized the importance of collaboration among community partners and the need to approach child care as a shared responsibility rather than an issue affecting families alone.

The Mary Black Foundation provided lunch, allowing participants additional opportunities for networking and conversation.

Spartanburg County First Steps hopes the event will serve as a foundation for continued dialogue and collaboration around strengthening access to quality, affordable child care throughout the community.