How digital innovation can improve access to affordable childcare

Access to affordable childcare is fundamental to a healthy economy and society. But with Americans spending 8% to 19% of their income on childcare, and employees leaving the industry in droves, governments need to be more innovative in connecting families with these services.

In this episode, presenter and reporter Kait Borsay explores how digital innovation can help. Her guests are Danielle Barnes, EY Americas Government and Public Sector Leader, and Justin Brown, Oklahoma Secretary of Human Services.

The conversation ranges from the “people plus digital” solutions states are deploying to transform childcare, to the priorities and philosophies that will allow them to deliver the best outcomes with limited resources. It shows that human services leaders are listening to families, empowering them to make their own decisions and helping to break the cycle of multigenerational poverty.

Key takeaways:

• By deploying digital systems, human services teams can scale the one-to-one service they offer and meet the individual needs of many more families.
• Governments will still need to provide human support for families with low levels of digital inclusion or literacy. They will also need to work with local third-party organizations offering help on the ground.
• Involving parents in human-centered design, implementing high levels of data security and being transparent about how data is stored, shared and used will engage and empower families.

The series is also available to listen to on Spotify, iTunes, and Amazon Music and Podbean.

If you’d like to read more, a full text transcript of this podcast is available. Read the transcript.