CLEVELAND, Ohio — Erica Patton thought nothing of picking up her two grandchildren at Cleveland’s Benesch elementary school last week as schools closed down.
It didn’t matter that she has a serious health problem or that she is older and is among the higher-risk group for contracting the novel coronavirus.
“I just had a heart attack so I can do it,” she said, as she guided the children away from school carrying bags of food and homework. “It just so happens that someone can be at home.”
Patton was among those who stepped up after Ohio’s first wave of increased childcare needs, when schools shut down. Now a second wave is coming, with Gov. Mike DeWine expected to order closure of most of Ohio’s day care centers soon, if not this afternoon.
We want to know how your family is handling childcare during this time of crisis and have some specific questions below.
It’s too soon for any data to emerge about grandparents picking up the lack of childcare, but grandparents have traditionally been the fallback for families, particularly when mothers work.
The most recent census data on the topic, from 2011, shows that grandparents were the largest non-parent childcare source for young children. Grandparents took care of kids for 24% of families in the U.S., for children under 5-years-old.
When a mother worked or the family lived in poverty, grandparents handled childcare for 30% or more families.
Day care, which many believe is about to vanish for most of Ohio, was the second-greatest source for childcare.
For children over 5, grandparents were still the go-to source of care, but other relatives took over for many families. Day care use fell for older kids.
Here’s a look at what Census data showed. Click on bars for exact percentages.
What will happen now? Are enough parents working at home or at home to take the pressure off family members who are most at-risk?
There are other concerns for retirees, in addition to the possibility of contracting the virus from grandchildren they are watching.
Michelle Shirer, spokesperson for the Ohio branch of the American Association of Retired Persons, said many older adults need care themselves. Services they use could be disrupted and coronavirus could threaten their caregivers.
As The Plain Dealer watches how the coronavirus crisis unfolds, we’d like to know how your family is handling childcare.
Will you be able to use one of the emergency childcare centers the state is authorizing?
Will family members cover for you? Grandparents? Siblings? Aunts and uncles?
Are you using informal services in your neighborhood?
Are you a grandparent who is taking care of your grandchildren in spite of the pandemic — or one who has stopped caring for your grandchildren recently due to the novel coronavirus?
We're also hoping to speak to grandparents who wish they could step in to fill gaps as childcare facilities close, but won’t because of the risk.
E-mail your thoughts with the words CHILD CARE starting the header to Plain Dealer reporters Patrick O’Donnell at paodonnell@plaind.com or Michelle Jarboe at mjarboe@plaind.com. Or call 216- 515-2070 and leave a message. Please also leave your name, community where you live, and a phone number and/or email where we can reach you.
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Are at-risk grandparents handling child care as schools, day care centers close because of coronavirus? They - cleveland.com
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