Dividends of the Crisis: Childcare as Essential Infrastructure

Lynn Perkins (UrbanSitter), Allison Salisbury (Guild Education), Jamie Ladge (Northeastern University), Tim Allen (Care.com), and Cheryl Oldham (US Chamber of Commerce Foundation) discuss Dividends of the Crisis: Childcare as Essential Infrastructure at the 2021 ASU+GSV Summit.Melinda Gates has called on governments to start thinking about childcare as “essential infrastructure” as they rebuild economies amid the COVID-19 crisis. Indeed, just as the care economy is opening up again, and families are striving to find balance, we find ourselves at a crucial juncture where we must call for societal change, girded by the innovations in EdTech that can ensure women and families receive the government support they need to care for all children. As Gates notes, “As governments rebuild their economies, it’s time to start treating child care as essential infrastructure—just as worthy of funding as roads and fiber optic cables.” Hear from public and private leaders alike as this panel investigates new models of funding and partnerships to boldly tackle this much-needed update in national infrastructure.