With over 60,000 single-parent families in the state of Utah, finding quality, yet affordable, childcare can be a challenge. The average cost for a single infant placed in a daycare facility can run as high as $650 per month. That’s over 25 percent of a typical single mom’s income for each child under the age of four. While two-parent families have an easier time affording childcare, families in Utah are typically larger than the average which spills over into higher costs for housing, food, vehicles and other basic necessities.
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With the state’s focus on health and safety, Utah does offer high-quality childcare with almost 300 centers and over 1,000 FCC homes available for services. Unfortunately, those 48,410 spaces leave a wide deficit with almost 150,000 Utah children needing daycare. Full-time care for pre-school children, especially infants, is the most requested by parents, but nontraditional hours can also be a problem. In addition, requests for before and after school care are five times higher than the national average.
What Utah has going for them is their low divorce rates and strong family focus. That leaves less than half of the total number of families with children actually needing outside-the-family childcare. Fewer children also live at, or below, the poverty level, but that doesn’t make things easier for single-parent families who number just slightly more than the number of families living in poverty.
When it comes to the joys of childcare in Utah, recreational opportunities, national parks, family attractions, museums and campgrounds make up a large portion of the state. It’s one of the best areas for outdoor enthusiasts. For parents with children there is a lot that families can do together. Whether your interest is in ski resorts, white water rafting or a good game of golf, Utah has just what you need.
Bryce, Arches, Capital Reef, Canyonlands, and Zion National Parks offer camping, hiking or just a great scenic Sunday drive. In central Utah, there is Yuba Lake State Park or Fish Lake where the kids can get a kick out of boating and fishing in addition to camping and hiking. Utah also offers houseboating, kayaking and skiing at Lake Powell. There are ghost towns, forts, and caves with tours, Native American relics and hieroglyphs, an ice arena, zoo, and even Lagoon amusement park that will keep you busy for weekends.
