WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. -- Finding childcare right now can be incredibly difficult for many Maryland families. It's why lawmakers here on the Eastern Shore agree it needs to be a priority next year when they return to Annapolis.
We spoke with a local family who said affordable childcare would help them tremendously, and give them an opportunity to get out of a tricky situation.
It was the middle of the day on Thursday, April 20th, and Devon Goodyear and his wife, Savannah Rust, were at Ben's Red Swings in Salisbury. But, it's not because they got the day off work.
"I can't go to work," said Goodyear. "I have to stay with the children at all times so at least my wife can make some money, we're constantly in the car all the time, which is hard on the kids."
When Rust is watching the kids alone, she's usually doing so while Doordashing, trying to make enough money to support her family.
"I have to pull them out of the car, bring them into the store with me as I wait for the order, and it just get to be a lot when you have three kids," said Rust.
Rust and Goodyear said affordable childcare would be a huge benefit to their family. Their kids would be able to socialize with other kids their age more often, and it would give them the ability to both have jobs.
"It will make it so I can go back to work, it will make it even easier to afford housing," said Goodyear.
It's situations like Goodyears and Rust that has Eastern Shore lawmakers pushing for more available childcare in Maryland.
"It's everybody's problem, if you will, if we don't have adequate, if we don't have ample and if we don't have childcare geographically available for our workers," said Sheree Sample-Hughes.
Sample-Hughes, a Democratic representative for Dorchester and Wicomico Counties, said finding a long-term solution will be a team effort.
"When we have this larger conversation, it needs to include our public schools system, our non-public school system as well and our nonprofits and our business community," said Sample-Hughes. "That's how I believe we'll achieve the long-term goal we're trying to get to."
Wayne Hartman, a Republican representative for Wicomico and Worcester Counties, agrees childcare needs to be addressed.
"Childcare is a huge concern, we need adequate childcare so we can get people back into the workforce," said Hartman.
Legislators said there are a couple solutions in mind. Getting kids into schools earlier, but also finding ways to fund daycares on the Easter Shore, ensuring more can stay open and provide necessary care to kids.
A long-term goal of establishing adequate, and affordable childcare, for everyone on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
