New Mom-Owned Start-up Working to Solve Childcare Crisis by Connecting Local Families

While everyone has been impacted by the pandemic, one population that has been dramatically impacted is moms. As the pandemic erupted in the spring of 2021, approximately 3.5 million mothers with school-aged children either lost jobs, took leaves of absence or left the labor market altogether, according to the Census Bureau.

Before the pandemic, women made up more than 50 percent of the country's workforce. As a result, many women who are accustomed to having careers outside the home now find themselves being stay-at-home moms and missing the financial freedom and independence they are accustomed to having.

A new start-up company, June Care, is working to change that. By offering a new and innovative child care solution and work from home opportunity, they are unlocking a mom-to-mom economy in cities throughout California, including here in Santa Monica.

June Care Founder Gretchen Salyer, has created a platform that links parents in need of child care with qualified parents who can host children while they care for their own kids.

As a mother to three children, Salyer said she recognized the need for accessible and flexible childcare. Just before the lockdown, Salyer took a break from her job in high-tech to spend time with her kids and consider her next career move. Because she was a stay-at-home mom, she took on a supportive role to friends who were unable to take time off from work once the pandemic hit.

By coordinating their weekly schedules, Salyer and her peers created a network in which every family can receive care and be paid for their time hosting playdates. June Care's community-based approach to child care was the natural evolution from the system she and other local parents developed in the past year.

"That was really the genesis for June Care," Salyer said. "I wanted to figure out how I can create these networks of support primarily for moms, because they're still the ones who really feel the burden of child care the most."

So, how does June Care work? It's fairly simple.

Parents interested in providing care create an online profile at junecare.co, list the days and times they're available and set their hourly rate. Parents looking to book care create a profile, listing the times and days they need childcare help. The June Care team matches families in the same neighborhood and handles all payments, scheduling and logistics. It is FREE for both families to create profiles and all childcare hosts are background checked.

"Opportunities to earn an income while you're actually caring for your kids are so few and far between," Salyer said. "The magic of June Care is that we unlock the care work supply that's happening in so many homes across the country and make it accessible for parents who are looking for child care."

The other benefit to this service is the social connection, which is lacking in typical nanny services. The playdate model allows the children to socialize with other kids around their age and parents to connect with local families they wouldn't have met without the service.

June Care recently launched in the L.A. market, including here in Santa Monica. For parents looking to earn extra income while spending time with their kids, June Care allows you to start earning income immediately.

For parents who could use Santa's helper to finish their holiday shopping, or provide care over the holiday break, give June Care a try.

For more information on finding care or becoming a host, visit http://www.junecare.co.

Sources: https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2021-11-04/burned-out-why-wont-more-women-return-to-the-job-market