Mary Anne Barter, chair of the New Hampshire Child Care Advisory Council, told the Health and Human Services Oversight Committee on May 16 that child care in the state remains in crisis, driven by low wages, rising liability insurance costs and regulatory and facility expenses that can sink small providers.

Barter said the council’s priorities this year include addressing childcare liability insurance (she said only five insurers nationally currently write childcare liability policies), recruitment and retention of the workforce, strengthening family child care options and updating licensing rules. She told the committee the average wage for child‑care workers in New Hampshire is about $15.62 an hour.

On licensing, Barter said an Executive Committee of providers and the Child Care Licensing Bureau worked together to pare back licensing rules and that revised rules are expected to be filed at JELCAR and heard in August. The council also has been working with the insurance department on a provider risk‑reduction training to make centers more attractive to insurers.

Barter described a recent case in which a program faced more than $100,000 in lead remediation after a child tested high for lead; she warned such costs can close a small provider and urged that funding streams be identified to help facilities meet remediation needs.

The council supports building the workforce and expanding access; Barter highlighted an effort to improve the state’s quality rating system (Granite Steps) and to centralize resources for providers. The council said it will assist DHHS in recruiting a permanent bureau chief for the Child Development Bureau.

Why it matters: Childcare availability affects parents’ ability to work and employers’ ability to hire. The council urged broader partnerships — including with economic development and the business community — to explore dedicated revenue and incentive options to expand and stabilize childcare supply.

Barter said the council is also reevaluating membership to bring stronger business‑community representation and is exploring alternate revenue streams (for example, state fees or workforce grants) to support childcare sustainability.