Child Care Planners Cite Need For More Providers
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
That Kosciusko County is in need of quality child care facilities is nothing new.
But new statistics shed some light on the seriousness of the issue.
Of the estimated 70,000 people in Kosciusko County, there are more than 6,000 children under the age of 6 who need day care. But there are only five child care facilities and 21 licensed private care providers available in the county.
"It's easy to say there is a problem," said Don Enterline, director of the YMCA. "Coming up with a solution is the difficult part. ... Part of the solution lies with the top firms in the county. ... We have to build a winning team."
Enterline is a member of the Kosciusko County Child Care Planning Committee which met Thursday with representatives of schools, business and social service agencies to discuss corporate support of community child care.
The committee's goal is to "increase the role of private sector employers as leaders on child care issues and investors in building the capacity and improving the quality of child care for working families."
One of the first steps toward that goal is finding out exactly what working parents need in terms of child care, said Sandy Rader of Kosciusko Community Hospital, who led the meeting. For example, how great is the need for infant care? Before- and after-school care? Sick child care? Emergency care, such as snow days or school delays? Second- and third-shift care? And care during school vacations?
To find out, the committee is distributing survey forms throughout the county, with the aim of surveying the majority of the county's employees. Once the exact needs are know, Rader said, the committee can begin to develop strategies and solutions.
Rader said the involvement of the county's employers will make a difference in solving the problem.
"I'm not saying as employers we all need to build day care centers, but there are alternatives," Rader said.
The committee's work so far has been funded by a planning grant from the Indiana Child Care Symposium Initiative.
Anyone who hasn't received a survey form but is interested in filling one out may contact Barb Terry at 268-1257 ext. 502; Sandy Rader at 372-7879; Barb Goslee at 267-6639 or Don Enterline at 269-9622. [[In-content Ad]]
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That Kosciusko County is in need of quality child care facilities is nothing new.
But new statistics shed some light on the seriousness of the issue.
Of the estimated 70,000 people in Kosciusko County, there are more than 6,000 children under the age of 6 who need day care. But there are only five child care facilities and 21 licensed private care providers available in the county.
"It's easy to say there is a problem," said Don Enterline, director of the YMCA. "Coming up with a solution is the difficult part. ... Part of the solution lies with the top firms in the county. ... We have to build a winning team."
Enterline is a member of the Kosciusko County Child Care Planning Committee which met Thursday with representatives of schools, business and social service agencies to discuss corporate support of community child care.
The committee's goal is to "increase the role of private sector employers as leaders on child care issues and investors in building the capacity and improving the quality of child care for working families."
One of the first steps toward that goal is finding out exactly what working parents need in terms of child care, said Sandy Rader of Kosciusko Community Hospital, who led the meeting. For example, how great is the need for infant care? Before- and after-school care? Sick child care? Emergency care, such as snow days or school delays? Second- and third-shift care? And care during school vacations?
To find out, the committee is distributing survey forms throughout the county, with the aim of surveying the majority of the county's employees. Once the exact needs are know, Rader said, the committee can begin to develop strategies and solutions.
Rader said the involvement of the county's employers will make a difference in solving the problem.
"I'm not saying as employers we all need to build day care centers, but there are alternatives," Rader said.
The committee's work so far has been funded by a planning grant from the Indiana Child Care Symposium Initiative.
Anyone who hasn't received a survey form but is interested in filling one out may contact Barb Terry at 268-1257 ext. 502; Sandy Rader at 372-7879; Barb Goslee at 267-6639 or Don Enterline at 269-9622. [[In-content Ad]]