REPORT Exploring the Childcare Gap for Jackson, Juneau and Monroe - - PDF document

REPORT

Exploring the Childcare Gap for Jackson, Juneau and Monroe Counties of Wisconsin

Prepared By: Authors: Audra Wieser and Sara Horstman

June 2017

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Executive Summary

This report documents findings from a project conducted by The Parenting Place to assess the childcare gap in Jackson, Juneau and Monroe Counties in southwestern Wisconsin. This report shows there is a consistent need for more childcare options in each county in terms of both slots available and options that match the quality characteristics parents are seeking. Key findings of this project are:

• The number of children needing childcare in the three county area exceeds the existing number of

regulated slots by as many as 7,431.

• The number of childcare slots needed in the three county area exceeds the existing total number of slots

(including unregulated care) by as many as 6,533.

• Most parents prefer childcare close to where they live vs. where they work and find it difficult to obtain

childcare in these areas.

• The cost of particularly regulated childcare is a burden or even prohibitive for many parents which forces

many to seek alternative childcare arrangements for one or more of their children.

• Parents are often less than completely satisfied with the quality of the available care options but need to

settle for what is available.

• Childcare options to accommodate rotating work schedules, weekend work, holiday schedules and 2nd

and 3rd shift jobs were very limited.

• Parents often commented that they would prefer regulated childcare but were forced to choose

unregulated due to available options.

Section 1 - Project Background

The Parenting Place was asked by The 7 Rivers Alliance to collect data to support their SET High Quality Work Plan. Goal III of the High-Quality Plan is to reduce barriers to workforce retention. Through research, the group has identified and validated a shortage of childcare in in Jackson, Juneau and Monroe Counties. The 7 Rivers Alliance seeks to better understand childcare capacity and requested that a census of existing regulated and unregulated care in the three counties be conducted along with gathering data from employers on the childcare needs of their

• workforce. The information included in this report will provide SET partners the necessary information to plan for

creating childcare cooperatives and give an idea of the amount of capacity that is needed for working parents.

Section 2 - Research Methodology

Project Leads determined the need to assess the number of regulated care slots in each county. To do this, data reports were generated using Salesforce, the program used to house current regulated child care information. Reports showing the number of licensed child care centers, licensed family child care sites, and certified family child care sites in all three counties were run and figures used in the report were as of June 13, 2017. The Parenting Place is the Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency for Juneau and Monroe Counties. Data for Jackson County was obtained through a collaborative arrangement with Child Care Partnership in Eau Claire, the CCR&R that serves that county. (See Attachment A) To fully assess the number of childcare slots available in each county, Project Leads determined the need to also consider the amount of unregulated care since it is known that many parents access this type of care. Data on unregulated care was obtained through numerous community contacts described in detail below. Childcare providers and various other community stakeholders were interviewed to obtain an estimate of the number of unregulated child care sites in existence and the potential number of children that they serve. The Parenting Place surveyed stakeholders in Juneau and Monroe Counties and Child Care Partnership staff provided data for Jackson

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• County. This arrangement allowed each agency to rely on the existing relationships and trust that they have built

by serving as the CCR&R agency for these areas. To determine unmet needs of employees who required childcare for at least one child, a survey was created using Survey Monkey, an online survey tool. (See Attachment B) The survey was disseminated to partners on the SET team who distributed to employers in their respective counties. Data was collected from June 22 to June 28, 2017. The survey not only captures quantitative data on childcare needs and aspects of current care, but also allowed for comments on several questions to better understand challenges and frustrations faced by working families in each county.

Section 3 - Regional Childcare Availability

Regulated childcare numbers in the three-county area have dramatically decreased in recent years. In some areas, the number has decreased by 75% or more since 1998. Reports taken from the existing regulated Child Care Resource and Referral database (Salesforce) and community information show the following: 3.1 Childcare Sites by County (June 2017) Jackson County Juneau County Monroe County Licensed Group Centers 3 3 8 Licensed Family Child Care 6 5 20 Certified Family Child Care 3 3 4 Head Start Centers 3 3 3 Licensed School Age Programs 1 Estimated Unregulated Providers 25 14 28 In the three county area, the number of unregulated sites outweighs the number of regulated sites 67 to 56 (19.64%). It was also determined that many parents of school-age children use the Boys and Girls Club as a childcare solution (not included in unregulated total above). While the number of Head Start sites is listed, they generally are not considered a child care solution for most families because they are currently part-day programs requiring the need for surround care if the families are working. The estimated number of children served (based on regulated capacity and anecdotal reports of unregulated numbers) by each type of care are as follows: 3.2 Total Capacity by Type of Care (June 2017) Jackson County Juneau County Monroe County Licensed Child Care Centers 200 136 492 Licensed Family Child Care (8 children) 48 40 160 Certified Family Child Care (6 children) 18 18 24 Licensed School Age Programs 35 Estimated Unregulated Care Capacity Minimum Estimated 75 42 84 Maximum Estimated 200 168 560 In addition, the Boys and Girls Club in each county was found to be providing much of the care for school-age

• children. The Boys and Girls Club is not a licensed child care facility so does not have to meet the same ratio, staff

training and maximum capacity requirements as a regulated care facility does. The total number of children reported to be served by these programs in the three-county region is 300. There is not a Boys and Girls Club located in Juneau County but community reports showed that some families travel outside of the county to attend.

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3.3 Childcare Gap County Estimated Under 5 Slots Needed1 Estimated School Age Slots Needed (age 5-11)2 Estimated Total Slots Needed Total Slots Available3

(Not including Boys & Girls Club)

Gap Jackson 761 1117 1878 501 1377 Juneau 927 1360 2287 362 1925 Monroe 1810 2657 4467 1236 3231

1 Calculated by taking 6.2% of the total population of each county (The 7 Rivers Alliance Stronger Economies Together Report – March 2017;

percentage of population under 5 years, total county population) and then percentage of 16+ population in labor force in each county (US Census Data) to account for the number of parents who work and would require childcare.

2Calculated by taking 13% (The 7 Rivers Alliance Stronger Economies Together Report – March 2017; percentage of population 5-14 years of

age) of the total population (The 7 Rivers Alliance Stronger Economies Together Report; population of each county) and then the percentage of 16+ population in labor force in each county (US Census Data). Finally, 70% of that figure was used to approximate the number of children 5-11 years of age.

3Based on maximum estimated capacity of unregulated care identified above

The figure above shows evidence of that the gap between the number of childcare slots available and the number needed is considerable. It is likely that much of this need is being fulfilled by parents working opposite shifts and friend, family or neighbor care that was not identified in the search for unregulated businesses.

Section 4 - Overall Responses to Childcare Needs Survey (June 2017)

In total, 455 responses to the employer survey were received (248 employed in Jackson County, 34 in Juneau County, 118 in Monroe and 55 indicated they worked in a county other than the three identified for this project). The other counties of employment identified were: La Crosse, Trempealeau, Chippewa, Columbia, Dane, Vernon, Adams, Walworth and Marathon. Two respondents indicated that they were retired. Ten of those who were from other counties did not have children who required child care and 45 indicated that they did. 224 respondents reported having at least one child in their home requiring childcare. The number of children they reported living in their homes who required childcare are as follows: Figure 4.1 Number of Children In My Home Who Require Childcare Responses 1 Child 111 2 Children 85 3 Children 22 4 Children 4 5 Children 6 Children 2 Of the 224 respondents requiring child care, 78 Reported having at least one child under two years of age. 105 Respondents reported having a child from 5-12 years of age. Several respondents indicated that care for infants and toddlers under two years and school aged children was more difficult to find. These comments align with information shared with Child Care Referral Specialists at the CCR&R’s.

4 “Sought childcare near home so that my spouse and I could both take her and pick her up. VERY limited options (some in-home, no centers). Settled for childcare where I work, but it is a challenge since my spouse does not work here. Felt strongly about a center so there are multiple certified staff there, but cost is high.”

The respondents accessed their childcare in the following counties: Figure 4.2 Figure 4.3 Current Child Care Arrangement Respondents reported a variety of settings in which their children were receiving child care and only three respondents overall indicated that they could not find

• childcare. Although finding some form of child care

was not reported to be a significant challenge for most,

• nly 117 of the 224 respondents (52.23%) felt that their

child care situation fully met their family’s needs. Several respondents commented that they used a combination of care settings to meet their child care

• needs. In some situations, multiple providers including

relatives were needed to fully cover the family’s work

• schedules. In other cases, families were utilizing

different care settings to accommodate multiple children. The most common reason cited for not being able to find care that fully met the families’ needs was the lack of care where they lived (see Figure 4.4). This seems to indicate that families prefer to find care close to home rather than their workplace. A reason parents indicated the need was to align care with the child’s (or an older child’s) school location. Another reason could be that a childcare near the home tends to be more convenient for both parents when one or both work in different communities. Figure 4.4 Wha hat c t cou

• unty

nty i is you

• ur c

chil hildc dcare l are loc

• cate

ated i d in? n? Ans nswer wer O Opti ption

• ns

Res espo pons nse P e Perc ercen ent Res espo pons nse Co e Coun unt Jac ackson

• n

43.3% 97 Jun unea eau 7.1% 16 Mon

• nroe

33.5% 75 Oth ther ( er (pl plea ease s e spec ecify fy) 16.1% 36 ans nswer wered q d que uesti tion

• n

224 24

A licensed child care center, 28.1%

A licensed or certified family child care provider (provides care in their home), 13.4%

Before and/or After School Care, 2.2%

A friend or relative, 23.7%

An unregulated (not licensed

• r certified)

provider who runs a business in their home, 17.0%

A babysitter or nanny who comes into my home, 2.2%

I am unable to find child care, 1.3%

Other (please specify), 12.1%

“I have one child in boys and girls club, another that should be in daycare but goes to a family friend because of cost and another that does go to daycare. The daycare center have the room, it just cost too much.”

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Other Challenges cited impacting the search for adequate childcare include:

• Finding care for children with special needs
• Need care on holidays
• Lack of trust in others
• Transportation and bussing options
• Flexibility to accommodate changing work schedule
• Early morning work schedule

Section 5 - A Closer Look at Jackson County

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Jackson County currently has three Licensed Centers with a total capacity of 200. These centers are all located in Black River Falls. There are six Licensed Family Providers who do care in their homes, three located in Black River Falls, one each in Hixton, Fairchild and Alma Center. There are three Certified Family Providers located in Black River Falls, Alma Center and Melrose. Finally, there is one Licensed School Age Program in Black River Falls. Altogether, these facilities can serve up to 301 children (based on total licensed capacity reported to the Department of Children and Families by child care centers, the maximum group size of 8 for licensed family providers and the maximum group size of 6 for certified providers). Figure 5.1

Child Care Resource and Referral Data as of June 2017 (Licensed Centers, Licensed Family Providers, Certified Family Providers and Licensed School Age). Unregulated data collected via this project, June 2017. Figure 5.2 Child Care Center and Licensed School Age capacity based on Child Care Resource and Referral data, June 2017. Licensed Family Provider Capacity based on 8 per provider. Certified Family Provider capacity based on 6 per provider. Unregulated capacity based on maximum reported capacity.

Licensed Centers, 3

Licensed Family Providers, 6

Certified Family Providers, 3 Licensed School Age, 1

Estimated Unregulated Care, 25

Jackson County Existing Child Care Sites

Licensed Child Care Center, 200 Licensed Family Provider, 48

Certified Family Provider, 18

Licensed School Age, 35

Unregulated (estimated maximum), 200

Jackson County Capacity by Type of Care

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Data on the prevalence of unregulated child care was collected by reaching out to various community members believed to have knowledge of where this type of care is provided. In Jackson County, the following sources were contacted:

• Alma Center Elementary School
• Black River Falls School District
• Melrose-Mindoro School District
• Merrillan School District
• Jackson County Head Start
• Jackson County Human Services & Jackson County Certifier
• American Family Insurance
• Norgard Insurance Agency
• State Farm Insurance
• 5 Licensed Group Centers
• 8 Family Child Care Programs
• Jackson County Community Center
• Black River Falls Library
• Boys & Girls Club
• Gordy’s in Black River Falls
• Walmart in Black River Falls
• Cenex Gas Station in Black River Falls
• Holiday Gas Station in Black River Falls
• Family Living Agent - Jackson County UW Extension
• Taylor Café
• Taylor Corner Store (Gas Station) in Taylor
• Taylor Laundromat
• Former child care provider

Insurance companies seemed confused by the question; they didn’t seem to have any contact with unregulated providers indicating that unregulated providers are likely to be uninsured. In addition, various publications and social media sites were searched for advertisements by unregulated providers. The following were searched

• Jackson County Shopper
• La Crosse Tribune
• Craigslist
• Facebook / Facebook Groups
• Care.com
• Melrose-Mindoro website to help parents find child care:

http://amachr.wixsite.com/melrosemindorochild

• UW Extension Family Living Agent

The Family Living Agent in Jackson County is reported to be distributing a list of regulated and unregulated child care providers to families looking for care in Jackson County. Although outreach was made to this agency, contact was not made to confirm. However, an unregulated child care provider who was visited spoke of this process. Initially she was visibly nervous when Child Care Partnership staff asked to talk to her. She reported that she cares for six families currently. She reported there were barriers that made her decide to stay unregulated. These included classes during the day, paper work, didn’t want to tell parents they had to pay for vacation time, she has a flexible schedule (only worked during the school year), didn’t like the requirement for continuing education, and more. Staff discussed the benefits of being regulated including the perks of joining a Food Program and YoungStar. After the conversation came to a close, the unregulated provider said, “To be honest, I probably won’t be contacting you.” When she does have spots or openings, she sends them to the Family Agent at UW Extension in Jackson County. The representative from Child Care Partnership left information about the regulations/ratios of child care providers in Wisconsin.

“To be honest, I probably won’t be contacting you.”

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There are many posts on social media, particularly Facebook from people who have openings for children in their

• home. Many of these people are posting regularly. In order to be providing legal unregulated care, a provider may

not care for more than three unrelated children under the age of seven. Often, the ads themselves indicate that the provider is not adhering to the ratios required to remain legal. Figure 5.3 Sample Facebook Posts Child Care Partnership staff also reached out to two families in Jackson County for their feedback on finding child

• care. The following is a summary of their responses:

Family #1: What types of daycare do you use? In-home provider Is daycare hard to find in the area? Yes, day care is hard to find. I live in Osseo, and I couldn't find any in home providers there, so I have to have one close to my work, which took a lot of work to find. Ours is in Merrillan. Do you use a certified/uncertified provider? Would you prefer one over the other? Why? Uncertified-not by choice; our first provider quit day care after many years and found another job. I felt much more comfortable having a certified provider because I felt my children got more attention and were better taken care of. I now have to deal with my daughter having constant diaper rashes because she doesn't get changed often enough due to our gal being over her numbers on kids. It breaks my heart that I don't have any other options.

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Are you happy with the daycare options in the area? Are there enough daycare slots? Explain. No, not happy at all. As a professional, I want a day care provider who is certified. In the rural area we work in, we don't have much for options and that is so sad. I happened to luck out that there was a spot when my second child was born. If there wasn't, I would have postponed that pregnancy, which no one should ever have to do just because

• f day care.

Other comments that you'd like me to share: There are many days when I wish I could stay home with my kids just because I know they'll be well taken care of. I can't do that due to our financial situation, so instead I'm stuck with having the constant worries about my kids being safe and well taken care of. One of the worst parts is also not having a back-up plan. Our family and friends don't live close, so we have to take off work when our provider can't watch our kids. Family #2 What types of daycare do you use? In home Is daycare hard to find in the area? Very hard. Especially being at an in home, you only have one person looking after your child. If they are sick, you need to search. Unlike daycares that have multiple staff. Do you use a certified/uncertified provider? Would you prefer one over the other? Why?

• Uncertified. We use in home as that was the only option when searching. At this point knowing we want more kids I

would choose either or that way we can have some type of reliable daycare. Are you happy with the daycare options in the area? Are there enough daycare slots? Explain. Wish there were more. Reliable on teachers schedules. Other comments that you'd like me to share. Because of the daycare options with two kids makes us consider me staying home since we don’t have options. Which makes us wait on a bigger family in the future knowing there are already not many options for two, let alone any more. Of the respondents to the Employer Survey that was distributed (See Attachment B), 248 indicated that they were employed in Jackson County, 53.54% of whom had children at home who required childcare. They accessed childcare as indicated in the charts below (see figure 5.4 and 5.5) Figure 5.4

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Figure 5.5 To assess the extent to which the comfort level with a childcare situation might distract an employee from their job, the following question was asked (Figure 5.6). Of the respondents from Jackson County, 81% Agree or Strongly Agree that their child is well taken care of, however 5.5% disagree. The majority of these respondents (71.2%) rated the quality of their current childcare as excellent or good. Comments regarding the quality of childcare in Jackson County include:

A licensed child care center, 28.2% A licensed or certified family child care provider (provides care in their home), 11.8% Before and/or After School Care, 1.8% A friend or relative, 23.6% An unregulated provider who runs a business in their home, 16.4% A babysitter or nanny who comes into my home, 0.9% I am unable to find child care, 1.8%

Other (please specify), 15.5%

Which of the following best describes your current childcare arrangement?

Jackson, 88 Juneau, 0 Monroe, 5 Other (please specify), 17

What County is Your Child Care Located In?

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• It is difficult to find good quality staff. Though I am happy with my children's current teachers, I was not

happy with the teacher in the infant room and therefore, I sent my youngest child to an in-home provider who is not licensed. She is amazing though and I absolutely trust her.

• Food menu is horrible with pizza rolls and corn dogs.
• I question discipline or lack of it.
• The babysitter that we have takes care of my child as if they were her own. I know my children are well

cared for.

• Licensing issues are noticed (have called the center in numerous times to state licensing) toured the other

2 daycares available in BRF, and both didn't meet my standards. Figure 5.6 Several respondents commented about the above question:

• Though I feel my children are well taken care of, I know it is difficult to find quality staff/teachers at daycare
• centers. I have sometimes made decisions about daycare based on the staff in the rooms. It is extremely

unfortunate that daycare teachers don't make more money than other professions. They have a very important job! Even more so, most centers are unable to provide health care coverage- another obstacle in finding good quality employees.

• Somedays I wonder.... I know people in child care that don't watch a child properly, other times I know they

are in great hands.

• I don’t have a guaranteed sitter. My kids need a schedule and something consistent and they don't have

that.

0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 35.0% 40.0% 45.0% 50.0% Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

While I am at work I know that my child is well taken care of so I can focus on my job.

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

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• I worry about the structure and discipline and what happens to my childcare situation when a child gets

kicked out of where they are then you scramble to find a replacement that will take your child. Wish they had an alternative.

• The daycares in Jackson County were not within my standards. My child is only at the center here because

I have nowhere else to take him in Jackson County. Having worked at a daycare I see a lot of licensing rules being violated. I saw this happening in all the daycare's in Black River that I toured.

• No concerns about how well my child is being taken care of. However, if child has two incidents of diarrhea
• ne day, or "seems sick," I get a call to pick her up - even when she may be fine. The center has also closed

early or shut down for the day multiple times due to weather, even though my employer remained open.

• My grandma watches my daughter and son when school is out. She is getting older so I try to call in every

now and then to make sure she isn’t getting overwhelmed

• Quality daycare is difficult to find! We are lucky to have obtained spots for both of our children in an in-

home daycare that provides outstanding care and experiences. Respondents were also asked to rate the reliability of their childcare arrangement in order assess the impact that might have on their attendance at work. Of the respondents, 67.2% strongly agree or agree that they can rely on their childcare provider to be available when they need them so they do not have to miss work. However, 14.5% disagree or strongly disagree with this statement. Figure 5.7 Survey participants employed in Jackson County shared the following comments regarding the reliability of their childcare situation:

• Sometimes Father gets

called to work out of town and we have to scramble to find care

• She (provider) gets sick
• ften
• That is an advantage of a

daycare center vs. an in-home where there is only 1 person.

• Unless she is out of town, then I have to request off
• We are unable to afford to have all three in full time. We are borderline income - so unable to receive
• assistance. When we need a break we don't have family to help- and usually if we ask for drop in care- it's

filled up. Also, it's hard - there isn't a provider in town accommodating people with non-traditional work

• schedules. Not everyone has the 9-5, m-f schedule - many have to commute out of BRF. Childcare providers

who are licensed don't accommodate these types of families- creating difficult situations.

• Only available during the day while my job is not a traditional 9-5 job.
• She lets know about closure dates 30 days or more in advance

When asked how they would rate their provider on reliability, 54.05% of respondents rated their provider at a 5 (highest); 27.93% rated a 4; 11.71% rated a 3 and only 6.4% rated their provider lower than a 3. Several shared concerns with being able to afford care at a child care center that they felt would be more reliable. Relying on friends and family made it difficult to maintain their work schedule. Of the respondents in Jackson County, only 49.55% felt that their current childcare arrangement fully met their family’s needs. Families cited several barriers to a fully satisfactory childcare arrangement including:

0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 35.0% 40.0% Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

I can rely on my childcare provider to be available when I need them so that I do not have to miss work.

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• Inconvenient location for my daily work commute.
• I have one child in boys and girls club, another that should be in daycare but goes to a family friend because
• f cost and another that does go to daycare. The daycare center have the room, it just cost too much.
• Our work (schedule) doesn't fit what is offered.
• Currently for the summer it's nice when I have extra people around to help out but during the school year

it's tough to find reliable people to watch my son. Now with an infant on the way it will be even more difficult.

• I work night shift, 6PM-6AM so a non-family member is unattainable.
• I live in Sparta but work in Black River Falls. I bring my child to BRF for childcare because I was unable to

find an infant spot available in Sparta. It works out ok and I am very happy with the center my child attends, but logistically it would be easier for our child to be in Sparta so my husband could assist with drop-offs and pick-ups also. I was able to find two good options in BRF for a newborn but spent 7 months unsuccessfully finding anything appropriate in Sparta.

• Wife can't work full time. We couldn't afford it.
• Some days child care is not available and we scramble to find a sitter. Both my spouse and I have missed

work due to child care issues.

• Shared custody arrangement - in the summer I was unable to find safe childcare so that I could maintain

equal placement time of my daughter based on my work hours of 6:30am to 2:30pm. The mother who lives in another community has several options for childcare and so she was awarded the majority of summer placement even though the child is with me primary throughout the year and for school. I should be able to work and have childcare needs met so that I can have equal placement time of my child and work to support her.

• I can only send one child to club and I have to find someone else for my other child because she is a year

shy of the age requirement. Splitting kids is stressful when you are the only parent available to shuffle the kids.

• Two incomes would be nice, but it doesn't pay to have to pay daycare costs.
• It’s hard when she has to cancel because she is an in home and there is no back up to her.
• Closing time of daycare can be an issue if running late at work.
• Current childcare is open 7am-5:30pm. This is sufficient for "normal" work schedule, but does not allow me

to come in early or work late when needed. According to the survey, Jackson County employees cited the following reasons that their current care did not fully meet their family’s needs (Figure 5.8). Figure 5.8

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Some respondents cited seeing concerning events when touring daycares such as teachers yelling at children, limited interactions, inappropriate staff-to-child ratios, cellphone use by teachers, lack of structure, and a lack of passion for the field by some of the teaching staff. One stated that an unregulated family child care home housed a known sex

• ffender. Several described the need to rely on family members to fully meet their scheduling, location or quality
• needs. Another simply stated, “There is a true lack of childcare options available in Jackson County.”

Section 6 – A Closer Look at Juneau County

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Lack of providers where I live Lack of providers where I work 2nd or 3rd shift work schedule Weekend care Age of the child(ren) Multiple children Cost of childcare Quality of available childcare

• ptions

Other (please specify below)

If you are unable to find childcare that fully meets your needs, which of the following have impacted your search?

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Juneau County currently has three Licensed Centers with a total capacity of 136. These centers are spread throughout the county in New Lisbon, Elroy and Mauston. There are five Licensed Family Providers who do care in their homes, two in Mauston and one in Necedah, New Lisbon and Wonewoc. Juneau County is also home to three Certified Family Providers located in Mauston and Camp Douglas. Altogether, these facilities can serve up to 194 children (based on total licensed capacity reported to the Department of Children and Families by child care centers, the maximum group size of 8 for licensed family providers and the maximum group size of 6 for certified providers). Figure 6.1

Child Care Resource and Referral Data as of June 2017 (Licensed Centers, Licensed Family Providers, Certified Family Providers and Licensed School Age). Unregulated data collected via this project, June 2017.

Figure 6.2

Child Care Center and Licensed School Age capacity based on Child Care Resource and Referral data, June 2017. Licensed Family Provider Capacity based on 8 per provider. Certified Family Provider capacity based on 6 per provider. Unregulated capacity based on maximum reported capacity.

Data on the prevalence of unregulated child care was collected by reaching out to various community members believed to have knowledge of where this type of care is provided. In Juneau County, the following sources were contacted:

Licensed Group Center, 136 Licensed Family Child Care, 40 Certified Family Child Care, 18 Unregulated (estimated maximum), 168

Juneau County Capacity by Type of Care

Licensed Child Care Centers, 3 Licensed Family Child Care, 5 Certified Family Child Care, 3 Estimated Unregulated Care, 14

Juneau County Existing Child Care Sites

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• Mauston Area School District Secretaries
• 1 Regulated Licensed Group Center
• Juneau County Health Department
• Juneau County Human Services
• 7 Regulated Providers
• Juneau County Family Resource Center
• Hatch Public Library-Mauston
• Economic Support Specialist for Juneau County
• Multiple Kwik Trips and Laundromats in the county

In addition, various publications and social media sites were searched for advertisements by unregulated providers. The following were searched:

• Foxy Shopper
• La Crosse Tribune
• Craigslist
• Care.com
• Facebook (Buy, Sell, Trade Groups and Mommy or Play Groups)

Unregulated care was reported in many areas of Juneau County including Camp Douglas, Elroy, Lyndon Station, Mauston, Necedah, New Lisbon, and Wonewoc. Posts advertising unregulated care were found on social media sites including the following examples (see Figure 6.3). Figure 6.3

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When community members were asked about the existence of unregulated care in Juneau County, various anecdotal responses were given:

• It was reported that there is a lot of care that is happening in the tribe, and that the tribe will help pay for

child care if the provider accepts tribal assistance, but the providers that do, stated that it is really difficult process to go through.

• Through observations and anecdotal notes, we noticed that Juneau County is full of small connected
• communities. One provider when I called them stated that she knew who I was and why I was calling and

she was not interested in talking to me. Telling us that there is quite a bit of unregulated care that is happening in the county.

• The Family Resource Center is a place that families from Juneau County can come and be provided with a

variety of services such as Parent Education, a lending library, and fun family activities. The staff is made up

• f child care professionals and former child care providers.

Of the respondents to the Employer Survey that was distributed (See Attachment B), 34 indicated that they were employed in Juneau County, 66.67% of whom had children at home who required childcare. They accessed childcare as indicated in the charts below (see figure 6.4 and 6.5). Figure 6.4

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Figure 6.5 To assess the extent to which the comfort level with a childcare situation might distract an employee from their job, the following question was asked (Figure 6.6). Of the respondents from Juneau County, 82.4% Agree or Strongly Agree that their child is well taken care of, however 11.8% disagree or strongly disagree. The majority of these respondents (83.33%) rated the quality of their current childcare as excellent or good. Comments regarding the quality of childcare in Juneau County include:

• I am the childcare and I provide excellent care for my children.
• The child care center has been told that they need to make cosmetic updates but nothing has been done

about it and that was about 3 years ago. Issues worn carpet and linoleum and doors that don't open properly. Figure 6.6

A licensed child care center, 41.2% A licensed or certified family child care provider 5.9% A friend or relative, 17.6% An unregulated (not licensed or certified) provider 17.6% A babysitter or nanny who comes into my home, 5.9% Other 11.8%

Which of the following best describes your current childcare arrangement?

Juneau, 76.5% Monroe, 11.8% Other (please specify), 11.8%

What county is your childcare located in?

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Comments regarding the above question included:

• Currently not working out of the house. I have developed a small in-house business where I make things

while the kids sleep and sell online. Families need to look at the cost of childcare and compare that to the wages they can earn working. It needs to make sense. We don't believe in subsidies and having the government transfer funds out of other people’s paychecks to pay for our household expenses. Each family needs to make responsible decisions and manage within their means. Common Sense. Respondents were also asked to rate the reliability of their childcare arrangement in order assess the impact that might have on their attendance at work. Of the Juneau County respondents, 52.9% strongly agree or agree that they can rely on their childcare provider to be available when they need them so they do not have to miss work. However, 11.8% disagree or strongly disagree with this statement. Figure 6.7

0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 35.0% 40.0% Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

I can rely on my childcare provider to be available when I need them so that I do not have to miss work.

0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 35.0% 40.0% 45.0% 50.0% Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

While I am at work I know that my child is well taken care

• f so I can focus on my job.

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When asked how they would rate their provider on reliability, 55.56 % of respondents rated their provider at a 5 (highest); 16.67 % rated a 4; 27.78% rated a 3 and no respondents rated their provider lower than a 3. Of the respondents in Juneau County, only 55.56% felt that their current childcare arrangement fully met their family’s needs. Families cited several barriers to a fully satisfactory childcare arrangement including:

• Yes during school year it helps... but summer is difficult plus for slightly older kids who aren't completely

ready to be on their own! Family helps a lot!

• Being at work at home mom is a challenge with small kids, but we believe in self-sufficiency and personal
• responsibility. When the kids are older I will pursue work outside the home.
• She takes too many days off

According to the survey, Juneau County employees cited the following reasons that their current care did not fully meet their family’s needs (Figure 6.8). Figure 6.8 While the cost of childcare appears to be the biggest barrier to finding childcare in Juneau County, one respondent commented on transportation issues. “Bus issues living in Camp Douglas and ex living in Warrens. We do not have bussing that will take my son to Oakdale, or Camp Douglas schools from Warrens.”

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0% Lack of providers where I live Lack of providers where I work 2nd or 3rd shift work schedule Weekend care Age of the child(ren) Multiple children Cost of childcare Quality of available childcare

• ptions

Other (please specify below)

If you are unable to find childcare that fully meets your needs, which of the following have impacted your search?

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Section 7 - A Closer Look at Monroe County

Monroe County currently has 7 Licensed Centers with a total capacity of 420. These centers are located in Tomah, Sparta and there is one on the Fort McCoy Military Base. Fort McCoy is also home to a School Age Center that provides care for up to 72 children. There are 20 Licensed Family Providers who do care in their homes, 14 located in Sparta, 5 located in Tomah and one located in Cashton. Monroe County is also home to 2 Certified Family Providers located in Tomah. Altogether, these facilities can serve up to 664 children (based on total licensed capacity reported to the Department of Children and Families by child care centers, the maximum group size of 8 for licensed family providers and the maximum group size of 6 for certified providers). Through research, anecdotal notes, and many conversations we were able to identify about 28 unregulated programs in Monroe County and it was determined that care is being given to 3-20 children at a time per provider. Additionally, the Boys and Girls Club is not required to be licensed so is considered another form of unregulated care for school age children (not included in totals below). The Boys and Girls Club of Sparta has 114 children enrolled for the summer and the Boys and Girls Club of Tomah has 86 children, both have an unlimited amount of children that they can enroll at a given time. Figure 7.1

Licensed Group Centers, 7

Licensed School Age, 1

Licensed Family Providers, 20 Certified Family Providers, 2 Unregulated (Estimated), 28

Monroe County Existing Childcare Sites

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Child Care Resource and Referral Data as of June 2017 (Licensed Centers, Licensed Family Providers, Certified Family Providers and Licensed School Age). Unregulated data collected via this project, June 2017.

Figure 7.2

Child Care Center and Licensed School Age capacity based on Child Care Resource and Referral data, June 2017. Licensed Family Provider Capacity based on 8 per

• provider. Certified Family Provider

capacity based on 6 per provider. Unregulated capacity based on maximum reported capacity.

Data on the prevalence of unregulated child care was collected by reaching out to various community members believed to have knowledge of where this type of care is provided. In Monroe County, the following sources were contacted:

• Sparta Area School District Secretaries
• State Farm Insurance Agent (Scott Davis)
• Monroe County Health Department
• Monroe County Human Services
• 22 Regulated Family Providers
• 1 unregulated Provider
• Sparta’s Parent Connection
• Sparta’s Free Library
• Tomah Public Library
• Provider Cohort
• Boys and Girls Club in Sparta
• Boys and Girls Club in Tomah
• Licensing Specialist for Monroe and Jackson County
• Lugar de Reunion-Hispanic center for Monroe County
• Multiple Kwik Trips and Laundromats in the County

In addition, various publications and social media sites were searched for advertisements by unregulated

• providers. The following were searched:
• Foxy Shopper
• La Crosse Tribune
• Craigslist
• Facebook (Buy, Sell, Trade sites, local Mom’s groups, and Play groups)
• Care. Com
• Melrose-Mindoro Childcare Website’s Facebook Page

Unregulated care was reported in many areas of Monroe County including Cashton, Kendall, Norwalk, Sparta, Tomah, Warrens, and Wilton. Most contacts when asked if the unregulated care is happening more in the country

• r in the city stated that they believe it is happening more in the city. There are many posts on Facebook by people

looking to take care of children in their homes. Most of the posts are constant and on different sites such as Buy,

Licensed Group Centers, 420 Licensed School Age, 72 Licensed Family, 160 Certified Family, 12 Unregulated (Estimated Maximum), 560

Monroe County Capacity by Type of Care

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Sell, Trade pages and Mommy or play groups. Some Examples of Advertisements in Monroe County are included

• below. (Figure 7.3).

Figure 7.3 When community members were asked about the existence of unregulated care in Juneau County, various anecdotal responses were given:

• We reached out to the Lugar de Reunion which is the Hispanic center for Monroe County about what kind
• f care is out there for Spanish speaking families, he stated that there are not options for care if the only

language spoken is Spanish. He stated that a lot of the care that is happening is between relatives because that is their family dynamic with lots of help from extended family.

• When visiting the Sparta Parent Connection (an informal parenting support group facilitated by The

Parenting Place), an unregulated provider was in attendance, we were able to talk to her about some of the reasons why she chooses to stay unregulated even though she follows the rules and only has three children at a time. Some of the reasons she stated was the money, she wouldn’t make enough to offset the cost that

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it cost to become regulated. We talked about the food program and the referral services and she said that the food program doesn’t really give you that much money, and as for the referral services she said that sometimes word of mouth works better then it. She also stated that she like the freedom of only having these children because she can still get out and do things such as the Parent Connection and going to the park.

• When calling all the regulated family providers most, if not all of them, reported that they were very

frustrated with unregulated care that was happening in the county. One said that she feels like the “bad guy” sometimes because some of the unregulated providers are doing things against the rules but they don’t get written up for them. When people become regulated they get monitored and then “dinged” for doing something even though they are following the rules.

• When talking with the youth directors at libraries, most of them said that they notice when a provider

comes in because it is a different dynamic than when a big family comes in, one made the observation that if it is a provider then the provider holds on to the books and picks them out but with a family the children get to pick out their books and hold on to them. To receive feedback from a parent in the community, an interview was conducted with a new Parent Educator from The Parenting Place in Tomah. She is also going to be a new mom in the area. *What types of daycare do you use? I do not use any daycare because my husband and I have opposite schedules and my mother will watch (my child) during hours that we are not with her. *Is daycare hard to find in the area? I did, before taking this job, look into daycare however and there were only 2 places that were out of home daycares that I could find in Tomah. Neither one of these had openings for (my child) coming this fall. So to answer your question on this matter yes daycare is hard to find in Tomah. Also, when I was teaching in Sparta, there was a woman who lived in Tomah but brought her sun to Morrow Home (a licensed group center) in Sparta because she also could not find a reliable daycare. *Do you use a certified/uncertified provider? Would you prefer one over the other? Why? I honestly feel that I am not educated enough in this area to make a good determination on which would be more appropriate or what the difference is. That sounds terrible however this is definitely an area that more education/knowledge would be very helpful as a parent educator and a new parent. Certified in our field of work always sounds better, but I would be so curious to see the definitive difference in certified/uncertified and legal or illegal. *Are you happy with the daycare options in the area? Are there enough daycare slots? Explain. As previously stated, when looking into daycare facilities there were only 2 out of home daycares provided and there was not going to be space for my daughter come this fall. I prefer facilities and not in home care (unless I personally know the provider) because I have worked in a childcare setting which made me feel uncomfortable as a teacher or

• bserver and feel that facilities offer more of an assurance it is not just one person to protect my child but many who

may come in contact with her at some point. *Other comments that you'd like me to share The Tomah area is severely lacking in childcare facilities or in home care, although I have heard of many different people who liked the idea of starting in home care but are not aware on how or what things need to be done to make this thought/dream a success…… I believe there is a great market here in Tomah to hold classes or sessions to educate parents on choosing a childcare facility as well as possibly holding classes for potential providers

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Of the respondents to the Employer Survey that was distributed (See Attachment B), 118 indicated that they were employed in Monroe County, 68.07% of whom had children at home who required childcare. They accessed childcare as indicated in the charts below (see figure 7.4 and 7.5). Figure 7.4 Figure 7.5

Jackson, 4.7% Juneau, 1.6% Monroe, 82.8% Other, 10.9%

What county is your childcare located in?

Jackson Juneau Monroe Other (please specify)

I feel the Tomah area is lacking a great deal for licensed daycare options. When I was pregnant and looking I was basically laughed at when calling places for openings. We pay top dollar and am lucky we can, but I have no idea how people with multiple kids and not enough income make this work.

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To assess the extent to which the comfort level with a childcare situation might distract an employee from their job, the following question was asked (Figure 6.7). Of the respondents from Monroe County, 92.2% agree or strongly agree that their child is well taken care of, and none of the respondents disagree or strongly disagree. The majority

• f these respondents (75.39%) rated the quality of their current childcare as excellent or good, 21.54% rated the

quality of their care as average and 3.08% rated their care as fair. No one rated the quality of their current care as

• poor. Comments regarding the quality of childcare in Monroe County were:
• Not very many activities
• Good, but I wish there was some preschool programming available.

To assess the extent to which the comfort level with a childcare situation might distract an employee from their job, the following question was asked (Figure 7.6). Of the respondents from Monroe County, 92.2% Agree or Strongly Agree that their child is well taken care of and none disagree or strongly disagree. The majority of these respondents (75.39%) rated the quality of their current childcare as excellent or good. Figure 7.6

A licensed child care center, 31.3% A licensed or certified family child care provider 18.8% Before and/or After School Care, 3.1% A friend or relative, 23.4% An unregulated provider , 15.6% A babysitter or nanny who comes into my home, 3.1% Other (please specify), 4.7%

Which of the following best describes your current childcare arrangement?

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Comments regarding the above question included:

• My grandparents watch my child while my husband and myself are at work. I am sure within the next couple
• f years we will probably be looking at other childcare options.
• I know that they are safe. Would like to have a more educational positive environment for them.
• My children are well taken care of, but the owner of the center calls for every little thing and sends children

home if they are a little bit unruly. So, I always worry if I have to take time off from work if my 2 year old is acting like a 2 year old.

• We are so lucky to have found our current situation. That wasn't the case at first. I feel the Tomah area is

lacking a great deal for licensed daycare options. When I was pregnant and looking I was basically laughed at when calling places for openings. We pay top dollar and am lucky we can, but I have no idea how people with multiple kids and not enough income make this work. It has been a terrible experience and only because I asked every parent I know about recommendations we are happy now, but I know so many that aren’t.

• I worry my child care provider is favoring her own children.

Respondents were also asked to rate the reliability of their childcare arrangement in order assess the impact that might have on their attendance at work. Of the Monroe County respondents, 92.2% strongly agree or agree that they can rely on their childcare provider to be available when they need them so they do not have to miss work. Additionally, 1.6% disagree, but none strongly disagree with this statement. Figure 7.7

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

While I am at work I know that my child is well taken care of so I can focus on my job.

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When asked how they would rate their provider on reliability, 76.92%

• f

respondents rated their provider at a 5 (highest); 16.92% rated a 4; 4.62% rated a 3 and no 1.54% rated a 2; no respondents rated their provider lower than a 2. Of the respondents in Monroe County, only 55.38% felt that their current childcare arrangement fully met their family’s needs. Families cited several barriers to a fully satisfactory childcare arrangement including:

• To fully meet our needs we would need an affordable option where we could drop kids off in the morning

that would provide activities, games, and healthy nutrition programs.

• Not open past 4:30. Has many days off during the year, which we need to find alternate care for.
• Our relative drives from out of state to watch our child. This is not sustainable, but I do not feel there are

better alternatives in the area.

• My child is in school at Warrens. We love the school but rely on family for transportation after school to

take our child to Tomah for after school child care. It would be nice to have childcare closer by.

• We drive 28 miles to take our son to daycare.
• I want more involvement, crafts, games
• Not an ideal location. We live in cataract area. I work in Tomah and my husband in black river. Daycare is
• utside of Sparta.
• I had to wait 8 months after my daughter was born to get her into daycare, however, I put her on a waiting

list when I was 5 months pregnant.

• This county needs more summer care options besides boys and girls club which has little to no supervision.

My kids need after school care, non-school day care, after summer school care, and summer care. There are no local options.

• Closes at 5pm and both my husband and I both have mandatory overtime to work later once in awhile
• My childcare provider is done as of August. I am in need of a new daycare provider and there are none

available. According to the survey, Monroe County employees cited the following reasons that their current care did not fully meet their family’s needs (Figure 7.8). Figure 7.8

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

I can rely on my childcare provider to be available when I need them so that I do not have to miss work.

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While the lack of providers where the employees live appears to be the biggest barrier to finding childcare in Monroe County, schedules, availability of drop-in and respite care, and more options for school age care were also commented on.

Section 8 - Conclusions

It is evident from the results of the Employer Survey and from outreach to community members that a gap between what families are looking for in a childcare and what they are able to find exists. This gap is evident both in the

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% Lack of providers where I live Lack of providers where I work 2nd or 3rd shift work schedule Weekend care Age of the child(ren) Multiple children Cost of childcare Quality of available childcare options Other (please specify below)

If you are unable to find childcare that fully meets your needs, which of the following have impacted your search? (check all that apply)

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number of providers available to fulfill the demand (both regulated and unregulated), and also in the expectations families have vs. what they are finding in existing care. Many survey participants stated that one of the main barriers to finding childcare was the lack of providers in the area they were searching and the times that they are open. Several of these respondents indicated that they worked in a community other than where they lived, likely a common occurrence in rural counties such as Jackson, Juneau and Monroe. Responses to the survey question, as well as additional narrative comments both showed that more parents seem to favor childcare in the area that they live over childcare near their workplace. Common reasons cited for this preference were the need to have a childcare location convenient to both parents who often do not work in the same community and also the need to have the childcare in the school district the child attends. Several comments indicated that parents were forced to choose whatever care was available regardless of location or convenience, sometimes resulting in children attending care in a community outside of where the parents live and

• work. When having to figure in the time it takes to commute, many parents found that childcare hours did not

accommodate the schedule needed to access care in their home communities. Currently, there are no providers in Juneau or Monroe Counties that provide care past 8:00 p.m. Jackson County has only two regulated family providers who provide care until as late as 9:30 p.m. and only two that provide care on weekends. Finding care for certain ages was reported to be more difficult. Several respondents reported limited options for school-age children. Many were using the Boys and Girls Club for childcare because there simply were no other

• ptions available. Several respondents cited concerns with ratios, activities and safety when using this option. Boys

and Girls Club Association Guidelines exist that outline ratio and health and safety standards for the organization, however sites do not fall under the same State of Wisconsin Licensing standards that regulate licensed school age

• centers. Several respondents also indicated difficulty finding options for infant care. Parents were surprised to find

that even by looking months in advance, the availability of care was limited or non-existent. Some reported spending months in a less than desirable arrangement while waiting for a provider who fit their needs to have an opening. This indicates that there is a gap in the availability of quality school age and infant care. Cost of care was found to be a significant barrier to families searching for childcare. Several respondents indicated that they were not eligible for Wisconsin SHARES childcare subsidy (or would not access the program due to personal beliefs), yet were unable to afford the cost of a childcare that fully fit their needs. They were forced to choose care in a community or setting that was less desirable in order to be able to afford care. This is likely to be one of the driving factors behind the prevalence of unregulated care in the counties studied. Unregulated providers often charge lower rates. The community interviews showed that many of these providers were caring for a larger number

• f children than current regulations would permit which allows them to keep the cost per child lower and still make

ends meet. Licensing and Certification also have some built-in costs such as continuing education fees for classes like CPR and also background check fees. Current adult to child ratios for regulated childcare combined with the actual cost of doing care make childcare a business with very low profit margins. At the same time, parents are struggling to pay the fees providers need to charge to stay in business, particularly if they are just above the cutoff for subsidy benefits. Even when there was a childcare spot available, several respondents reported that it was not always a match with their quality expectations. The right setting for someone’s child is a very personal decision with one’s own tastes and values weighing in heavily. There were, however, several respondents who reported concerning issues with the quality of care they use or had visited including: yelling at children, excessive cellphone use, facilities that need upgrading, lack of planned activities, licensing violations, and even reports of drug abuse and sex offenders living in unregulated child care homes. Even without the ability to fully capture the prevalence of unregulated care, it was still discovered that over 50% of the existing child care sites across the area studied are unregulated. Because of the much of the community’s reluctance to provide information on unregulated providers (out of fear of being a “whistle-blower” or sometimes fear of losing the only childcare they can find), it is very unlikely that all unregulated care was accounted for in this

• project. Even so, the community reports show that at least 15% up to 44% of children attending child care are in an

unregulated setting. These figures do not include the hundreds of children who attend the Boys and Girls Club in place of another care option. Many current regulated providers are very frustrated with the all the unregulated care

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that is happening in the areas that they provide care in. They all stated that they would like stricter consequences for those who get caught caring for more children than they are allowed to care for. It should be noted that not all unregulated care is considered illegal and there are providers who adhere to ratios (3 or fewer children) that exempt them from regulation and who provide quality childcare.

Section 9 – Recommended Next Steps

Since a gap was found to exist in the overall supply of childcare available, strategies should focus on increasing the number of regulated childcare slots available. Respondents to the survey also strongly indicated that not just any childcare setting will fully meet their needs as they also need to be able to access care that fits their own personal expectations of quality at a cost that is supported by the income they earn. Recommended next steps are: Strategies to support an increase in the overall number of regulated childcare slots: Convene a meeting of childcare stakeholders including Child Care Resource and Referral Staff, State Childcare Licensors, County Certifiers and Economic Development stakeholders to discuss the impact of current childcare ratios on supply. Existing child care ratios make it difficult for family child care providers to earn a viable income while charging a rate that families can afford. However, current ratios attempt to align with National Association for the Education of Young Children best practices, helping ensure child safety and quality of care. Ratios in Minnesota allow a family provider to care for more children. A possible next step is to study the safety of Minnesota family child care programs in comparison to Wisconsin programs to determine if lower ratios improve safety. Convene a meeting of existing center directors or design a survey to explore challenges and barriers to increasing enrollment or capacity. Explore whether existing capacity is not utilized and why or, if centers are fully enrolled what barriers exist to expansion. Explore ways to engage the community in developing programming to overcome barriers. Plan education or networking opportunities for potential providers and unregulated providers to learn the benefits of becoming licensed or certified (food program reimbursement, subsidy eligibility, YoungStar micro-grants or liability insurance coverage). Work with Child Care Resource and Referral agency and/or regulating agencies to hold a forum or informational meeting in at least one city per county for anyone who would like to do care out of their home or for people who already do but would like to know more about the process of becoming regulated. Explore existing unused facilities that could be sites for future childcare centers. Begin by convening a meeting with local Building Inspectors and Child Care Licensors to learn needs and common barriers encountered when transforming an existing space. If viable space is found, work to engage businesses or existing child care professionals in center ownership. Develop a full menu of supports available to a start-up business in the identified counties to support an individual or business interested in starting a childcare center. Work with Economic Development, Child Care Resource and Referral, Child Care Licensing and other resources to smooth the process of starting a childcare business. Explore and implement strategies to create better career pathways into Early Care and Education. Due to an extreme shortage of qualified Early Childhood professionals to fill teaching positions, centers are struggling financially and classrooms or entire centers are closing, reducing available slots. Convene a meeting with Western Technical College, School Superintendents, Child Care Resource and Referral staff and existing center directors to discuss development of an apprenticeship program or lab school within an existing high school. Through a possible program, high school students could graduate

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with the minimum requirements to work in a childcare center. Once employed, they could work through existing scholarship and online learning opportunities to achieve an Associate Degree and beyond. Partner with Inspire program to reach out to middle and high school students. Focus on the need in the community, impact of early education on children’s development and the importance of childcare to the

• verall economy. Strategies should aim to increase the professionalism of the field in the eyes of students

and their parents. Educate employers on ways they can help increase employee childcare options Plan a meeting with organizers from the Great Rivers United Way to discuss ways to partner with the sparks! program. This program focuses on family friendly workplace strategies and could possibly be built to recognize strategies to support employee childcare needs such as flexible start-end times, child care stipends and work-at-home options. Develop employee intake, annual review or exit interview questions that can be used to help employers assess the impact of childcare on the workforce. Since this project only surveyed individuals who were already employed, determine other ways to obtain data on the extent to which childcare has impacted those who are unable to accept a position or enter the workforce. Identify a lead agency to coordinate data collection and disseminate results at given intervals. Convene a meeting of employers and possibly employment law attorney(s) to discuss innovative employment models for childcare staff. Discuss feasibility of developing an employment model that allows family childcare providers to be considered employees for the purpose of accessing benefits and serving a firm’s employees, while maintaining aspects of an independent business to limit cost and liability of employers.

Section 10 – Possible Long-term Policy Change Goals

In addition to the above actionable steps, there are some long-term policy change goals that should be considered and the above steps will help inform this work.

• Use information collected about the impact of childcare ratios to drive work around policy changes, if the

data supports it. If safety and quality can be maintained, then an increase in total number of children a family childcare provider can serve could dramatically increase income. For example, an increase in total group size from six children to eight in a Certified Family Provider home would mean an increase of over 33% in provider revenue.

• The current educational requirements for child care center staff (often a Bachelor’s Degree) are not

supported by the current wages in the field. If candidates cannot obtain gainful employment in child care, fewer will choose this field and those that do will continue to migrate toward higher paying school district positions.

• Develop harsher penalties for childcare providers doing illegal unregulated care. Existing regulated

providers voiced strong concerns over unregulated care throughout the project, but felt helpless to do anything about it.

• Introduce tax credits for childcare centers and family child care so they can reinvest in their staff and

facilities.

• Connect with statewide organizations such as Supporting Families Together Association (network for Child

Care Resource and Referral), Kids Forward, and Wisconsin Early Childhood Association around pursuing these higher level initiatives. This project revealed many concerns about the availability of childcare options in the three-county area. Families and community members voiced concerns over the number of overall slots as well as the prevalence of unregulated

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• care. Parents often were forced to accept childcare that didn’t fully meet their needs in terms of location,

philosophy, hours, services and quality just to have care for their child so they could work. The above strategies are steps that can be taken toward eliminating this childcare gap so that the workforce can be fully supported in their childcare needs.