Every week, I hear the same story from working parents in our community: “I can’t find childcare.” What sounds like a personal family problem is actually a growing economic one, and it affects all of us whether we have children or not.

Local childcare centers are struggling to stay open because they can’t afford to pay competitive wages. As a result, many classrooms sit empty, not for lack of demand, but for lack of staff. Parents who can’t secure a spot are forced to reduce their hours, decline promotions or leave the workforce entirely. When that happens, businesses lose workers, productivity falls and our economy grows more slowly.

This shortage is no longer an isolated issue for young families; it is a break in the entire labor market. Employers throughout Wisconsin report trouble hiring, yet thousands of qualified parents are sidelined simply because they have no safe place to bring their children during the workday. The math is simple: When affordable childcare is unavailable, labor force participation drops.

There is a straightforward way to relieve the pressure. Local and state governments should expand incentives for childcare centers such as wage support programs and startup grants so providers can hire and retain the staff needed to operate at full capacity. This is not charity; it is an investment. Every dollar spent improving childcare access returns multiple dollars in economic activity by allowing more parents to work and businesses to grow.

Childcare is not a luxury. It is essential infrastructure, just like roads and broadband. If we want a functioning local economy, we need to treat it that way. Strengthening childcare capacity is one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to boost our workforce and support the stability of families in our community.

Our economy depends on workers, and workers depend on childcare. It’s time our policies reflected that reality.