Redwood City – A lack of affordable child care is one of the top issues driving women’s lifelong inequity, according to a report presented today to the Board of Supervisors that recommends making child care more affordable and accessible.
Seven in 10 women had delayed or forgone career opportunities due to child care challenges, according to a first-of-its-kind countywide study by the Commission on the Status of Women, which advises the Board on ways to improve the quality of life for all women in San Mateo County.
Lowering the cost of quality child care is one among numerous recommendations in the “Fund the Future” report, a call to action for investment in women's economic health.
The report recommends addressing the root causes of economic inequity — such as inadequate child care, pay inequity and the wealth gap — to create a more equitable and prosperous future for all residents.
“As Board liaison to the Commission on the Status of Women, I’m so proud of the expertise, thoughtfulness and hard work that went into what we believe is the first-ever comprehensive study on the status of women in San Mateo County. I’m committed to leveraging these findings and recommendations to advance women’s economic equity and, therefore, uplifting our entire community,” said San Mateo County Supervisor Noelia Corzo.
To get a fresh look at the economic health of women, the Commission conducted surveys and in-person interviews, met with child care providers and community organizations, gathered input at conferences and other gatherings and reviewed data and reports from a variety of sources.
What they found is that despite advances in recent decades, the overall “economic health” of women still falls short of that of men. For every $1 of wealth owned by a single man, for instance, single women own 82 cents while single Black women and Latinas own 9 cents.
“Helping women improve their economics not only helps women and children, but men as well, since all can benefit by the same programs,” said Susan Kokores, president of the Commission on the Status of Women.
The study found three key drivers of the wealth gap:
- Low wages: Women, especially single mothers and women of color, are concentrated in low-paying jobs earning less than men.
- Caregiver Penalty: The burden of family caregiving falls disproportionately on women, leading to breaks in their career that impact their lifelong financial stability.
- Lacking Knowledge and Confidence: Women are more risk averse and less likely to invest and build wealth.
The cost of living in San Mateo County is so high that a living wage for a family with two children and one adult working fulltime is $61.62 an hour, the study found. Yet the average wage for a 35-year-old woman in San Mateo is $17.31, or $36,000 annually.
The Commission on the Status of Women recommendations include:
- Creating and investing in an Office of Women & Children as a centralized office to coordinate efforts related to child care, pay equity, and financial literacy.
- Creating a “Blueprint for Child Care in San Mateo County,” where there is a shortage of 2,829 early educators and more than 17,000 child care spaces.
- Promoting pay equity.
- Supporting guaranteed basic income programs.
- Expanding financial literacy training and strengthening career pathways.
- Promote savings programs like CalSavers and CalKids to all San Mateo County residents which will help them build wealth.
“The data collected and analyzed by the commission includes all districts and represents the many phases of women's financial lives: highschoolers, workers, single parents, caregivers, stay-at-home mothers, seniors, widows, to name a few,” said Ann Girard, vice president of the commission.
“Today's recommendations are tailored to the immediate situation in San Mateo County with the goal of supporting the financial growth and education of all women. The 600+ survey participants, both male and female, drove home the importance of women's economic empowerment as an important element leading to a stable economy overall,” Girard said.
Supervisors voted 4-0 to accept the Fund the Future report.
Michelle Durand
Chief Communications Officer
mdurand@smcgov.org