n many communities, a quiet crisis exists for working families searching for — yet unable to find — affordable, high-quality care for children from birth to age 4. This shortage forces parents to choose between their jobs and their child’s safety, resulting in lost income and missed developmental milestones.

Without increased investment, this underfunded system hinders early brain development, creating long-term educational disparities for young children, according to Shellie Turner Young, director of Ms. Ellen’s Daycare and Early Learning Center.

“Our center serves 60 children per week, but this number could be significantly higher,” she said. “We are approved for 143, but child care assistance eligibility is strictly income-based. I have personally seen families denied assistance because they earned as little as $10 too much per month. I have watched families struggle and it is truly heartbreaking for parents who want quality early learning for their children but simply cannot access it.”

Young opened her doors Wednesday to members of the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance, Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, Louisiana Childhood Business Roundtable and the Louisiana Association of Business & Industry to inspire action among policymakers and community leaders to ensure Louisiana’s children and families have the support they need to succeed.

Investment in early education is not a luxury, Young said, but a fundamental necessity for families, workforce stability and the long-term prosperity of the state,

“Families who do not qualify for assistance face a difficult decision — either pay full tuition or rely on family members or friends for care,” Turner said. “Sometimes those environments are not ideal for young children, but parents do the best they can to support their families and continue working.”

Ms. Ellen’s Daycare — which was founded by Young’s mother 36 years ago — operates four classrooms: an infant room, 1-year-old classroom, combined 2- and 3-year-old classroom, and a 4-year-old pre-K classroom. The student-to-teacher ratio is seven to one.

“Maintaining low child-to-teacher ratios is critical,” Young said. “It allows teachers to work one-on-one with children and provide the quality early learning they deserve. But these ratios significantly increase operating costs, which again impacts affordability for families.”

Young said the average annual cost of childcare is significant. Infant care for children 6 weeks to 11 months averages $12,500 per year. Children 1-5 average $10,400 per year.

Families receiving assistance average about $157 per week in tuition support. Parents are responsible for paying the remaining balance at the beginning of each month, which places a financial strain on many households, Young said.

Young said the staff at Ms. Ellen’s Daycare hold CDA credentials and ancillary certificates and have completed the Louisiana Pathways CDA program through the Department of Education.

The facility is currently ranked as a four-star operation.

“Each spring and fall, the Calcasieu School Board and the Picard Center conduct assessments using the CLASS scoring system, which measures teacher performance,” Turner said. “Ratings range from one star for approaching proficiency to five stars for excellence. Currently, three out of four teachers at our center hold high-proficient or excellent ratings, which confirms that quality instruction is happening every day in our classrooms.”

Libbie Sonnier, CEO of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, agrees.

“We do this annually where we go to early education sites around the state to really help people understand what quality child care looks like and what it takes to create access to quality child care, and why we need more state investment in access to early child care,” Sonnier said. “What Ms. Ellen’s Daycare does well is they have good ratios, making sure they have the teacher-child interactions that happen appropriately, relationships with young children being responsive, and they’re also operating with a quality curriculum,”

Sonnier said early childhood education is critical to Louisiana’s success.

“Research indicates that 90 percent of brain development occurs before the age of 4, making high-quality early childhood programs crucial for laying a strong foundation for learning and success,” she said. “However, access remains limited, with many families struggling to afford or find reliable childcare. These barriers impact parents’ ability to work and contribute to a labor shortage costing Louisiana employers $762 million annually.”

Young said it is imperative that grants and funding opportunities remain available to all qualifying families so that every child has access to high-quality early education because the wait list for the Childcare Assistance Program is more than two years.

“That’s too long,” she said. “Early learning matters — there is no in-between. Ensuring funding at both the local and state levels — including grants— is essential to allow children to succeed in a quality early learning environment. Our goal is to continue advocating for our youngest learners and