WINDHAM (WGME) -- The pandemic has created a major shortage of affordable, quality child care.
That holds true for Tabitha Cummings, owner of Creative Explorations Child Development Center. Cummings has seventeen people on her staff at the center, but is also looking for more -- which is a challenge.
"It's hard, it's really hard," she said. "Unfortunately early childhood educators don't get paid what they should and they don't have a lot of benefits in being a early childhood educator."
Gov. Mills is attempting to combat the issue by passing a $200 monthly stipend for nearly 7,000 child care workers.
"I do have employees and it absolutely has been a help to them and I think it's helped retain them," Family Child Care Association of Maine Chair Jennifer Wescott said.
The extra money has helped the staff but there's still a shortage of providers.
"I can't think of one provider right now in family child care that has an opening," Wescott said.
Creative Explorations is opening another location later this year but they have a waitlist of more than one hundred babies.
"We've kind of capped that and we're not even taking applications for our infant toddler waitlist at this time.," Cummings said.
Maine DHHS says the number of licensed childcare facilities has remained roughly the same over the last few years.
While family child care providers, which are run out of homes, has declined significantly.
"To welcome people -- young families here, we need to make sure they have adequate, affordable and quality childcare," Gov. Mills said. "It's all part of economic development ultimately. 2:39
Gov. Mills says free community college for two years and federal pandemic funds to expand child care facilities will also help with the shortage.