Look at Afterschool in the Wake of the Great Recession

New Issue Brief Looks at Afterschool in the Wake of the Great Recession

by Chris D'Agostino

America is gradually climbing out of the rubble of the Great Recession, but the financial collapse of late 2007 continues to create economic hardship for families across the country.   Adding to families’ concerns, afterschool programs, a main source of childcare and enrichment for America’s youth, have also faced a challenging uphill battle to maintain funding and function well in the wake of the failed economy.  A newly released issue brief by the Afterschool Alliance examines the ways in which afterschool programs have coped with the cuts and instability brought on by the economic downturn and its impactful consequences for children, families and communities. 

The issue brief, entitled “Afterschool and Working Families in the Wake of the Great Recession” offers a host of research displaying how the stagnant economy has exerted a wide range of effects on the sustainability of afterschool programs, while also exploring how children, families and even employers have been afflicted by concerns about the lack of child care and enrichment opportunities during the afterschool hours.  The brief utilizes data from past Afterschool Alliance studies such as the Roadmap to Afterschool for All and Uncertain Times to show that in this time of adversity, while families are still being hit hard by the Great Recession and schools continue to slash enrichment education from their budgets, the nation’s children need afterschool now more than ever.  Afterschool programs are helping kids and families weather the recession and access ample opportunities to learn and grow. Therefore, this brief finds that afterschool programs should be preserved, not cut, so that children have a safe, enjoyable place to go where they can further their educational experiences while their parents work to pay the bills.

The recession has caused hardship in homes across the country, devastating families, especially in America’s poorest communities, but with the help of afterschool programs, children can continue to thrive inside an outside of the classroom, ensuring that tomorrow’s workforce will be better prepared to handle whatever economic hardships may come their way.