Over 20,000 Toddlers Face Lack of Supervised Daycare as Caregiver Shortage Worsens

More than 20,000 toddlers in Israel are expected to start the school year without access to supervised daycare facilities, marking a roughly 20% increase compared to last year. This significant rise highlights a growing shortage of caregivers, which organizations like the Daycare Forum and Naamat warn has escalated into a serious social and economic crisis.

Parents are increasingly forced to choose between expensive private daycare options that lack subsidies or giving up employment, a situation that directly harms working families, the labor market, and the broader economy. The Daycare Forum has called on the Ministry of Finance to promptly implement the Finance Committee's decisions to update caregiver salaries. They emphasize that raising wages is essential to prevent further workforce attrition, recruit new caregivers, and expand daycare capacity.

Hagit Pe'er, chairwoman of Naamat, described the data as a "red warning light" for Israel, stressing that the issue extends beyond daycare centers to a wider social and economic problem affecting families, children, and the entire economy. She urged the government to fulfill its commitments immediately and correct the ongoing salary disparities for caregivers.