Israel Faces Childcare Crisis Impacting Women's Rights and Workforce Participation

As the new school year approaches, Israel is grappling with a severe crisis in early childhood education and care for children from birth to age three. According to data presented in the Knesset earlier this year, the country currently lacks approximately 3,000 caregivers in daycares and kindergartens, with over 500 daycare centers having closed due to staff shortages. Most caregivers leave their jobs within their first year, highlighting a systemic problem in the sector.

This crisis is not only about early childhood education but also a significant women's rights issue. Caregivers, predominantly women, perform demanding and responsible work under inadequate conditions and pay. A Ministry of Finance report revealed that over 80% of caregivers do not receive the legally mandated salary, and more than half quit within their first year. Historically, caregiving for infants has been undervalued as "natural" work for women, rather than a professional field requiring proper training, support, and fair compensation.

The shortage of caregivers leads to daycare closures, forcing parents, often women, to stay home with their children. This disproportionately affects women’s economic status, as leaving the workforce can reduce their income, career advancement, experience, and pension rights, increasing financial dependence on partners. For lower-income families, private childcare solutions are often unaffordable, exacerbating inequality.

Opira Ben Shlomo, CEO of the "Ruach Nashit" organization and former head of the Israeli Institute for Early Childhood Education, emphasizes that accessible, quality daycare is essential not only for children’s futures but also for women’s economic independence and freedom. She warns that the childcare crisis perpetuates a vicious cycle: poor working conditions drive caregivers away, causing closures that force other women out of the workforce.

Ben Shlomo calls for substantial investment in professional training, ongoing support, improved working conditions, and sufficient accessible daycare options, especially for families unable to afford private care. She stresses that the discussion about daycare must extend beyond education to encompass women’s rights, economic equality, and social freedom, highlighting that these issues begin at the daycare door each morning.

In 2024, Israel had over 540,000 children under three, with about 212,000 enrolled in 5,060 licensed daycare centers. The State Comptroller’s recent report also found deficiencies in supervision, safety, and monitoring systems. Addressing these challenges is critical as the country prepares for the upcoming school year.