MANCHESTER, N.H. – Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais announced that the first meeting of the City of Manchester Commission on Childcare convened this week. The commission is an advisory body of various public and private city leaders with connections to municipal government, public health, early childhood education, business, healthcare and workforce development.
The commission was one of the priorities set out by Ruais during his inaugural address earlier this year. Its goal is to provide strategies and evaluations that can strengthen the city’s early childhood workforce and ensure that all Manchester families have access to affordable, quality early-life childcare and education.
“As a new dad, I am reminded constantly of our responsibility to give every child the strongest possible start. Child care is now the second-highest expense for families, only behind housing. Childcare isn’t just a family issue, it’s a workforce, economic and livability issue for our entire city. High-quality early care and education promote family well-being, supports our workforce, and strengthens Manchester’s economic future,” said Ruais. “As a father and as mayor, I am committed to making this vision real. Together, we can create a stronger, more vibrant future for every family in Manchester.”
New Hampshire businesses lose approximately $56 million annually and families lose approximately $177.9 million annually due to parents reducing hours or leaving the workforce because they cannot afford childcare, as licensed childcare capacity for children under the age of five in New Hampshire has dropped nearly 13 percent from 2017 to 2024 without any difference in the state’s under-five-year-old population.
The commission is tasked with providing a report that will be completed in Fall 2026, with as of yet to be announced community listening sessions to help provide data toward the completion of that report.