Finding quality child care can be a tough task. For parents in Tompkins County, it’s even tougher.

Having a baby can add up in a hurry. Diapers, food, and clothes zap the wallet. One of the most expensive for new parents is childcare. For neighbors in Tompkins County, there’s a waiting list.

“It’s hard when you go multiple places and you hear that there’s a waiting list. And then you’re faced with this difficult choice, of what do we do, does one of us stay home, do we piecemeal our schedules together, do we hire a nanny or an au pair,” said Sherri Koski, Executive Director of Ithaca Community Childcare Center.

There’s only enough care to serve one third of preschool children in the county; and it’s not a new problem.

“I think there’s been a shortage of childcare in the community for quite a few years, but it seems to be increasing more over time,” said Koski.

The number of childcare entities has decreased almost 70 percent since 2002. What’s also decreasing, is the workforce. Baby boomers are aging out, and requirements to enter the field are getting stricter.

“There are more background checks, and that’s a good thing, but it also slows the process down. And so the application process for example can take three months. And that means three months with no work,” said Sue Dale-Hall, the CEO of Child Development Council.

Some potential solutions include increasing pay for childcare workers and supporting centers as they start up and expand, like the Ithaca Community Childcare Center which received a grant.

“With that we’ll be able to have a larger capacity, so we’ll be able to help meet the demand a little bit better than we currently are able to,” said Koski.

The Child Development Council says the average Tompkins County parent pays around $250 a week, which is around 24% of their income.