Due to rising costs and staffing shortages, hundreds of folks don’t have places to take their kids when they go to work. Many working parents are forced to change or even quit jobs because of these challenges. The lack of childcare options has cost Mainers a staggering $400 million in lost earnings, productivity, and revenue since 2019.

The state legislature recently passed LD 1726, a package to bolster Maine’s childcare system. Thanks to this bill, more families will be eligible for subsidies, childcare workers will get higher stipends, and DHHS will start submitting annual reports and implementing a scholarship program to expedite the goal of statewide affordable childcare by 2030.

These are all crucial steps, and there’s still critical work to do to guarantee that every family in Maine has access to childcare and that childcare workers have the support they need to flourish in their jobs.  

Sign this petition to tell your representatives that they must continue to champion the needs of working parents and childcare workers by ensuring that every single family can access affordable, quality childcare.