A new child care coalition in Livingston County and Washtenaw County aims to address the economic challenges of caring for children.
Launched in May by Ann Arbor SPARK, the new effort brings together local child care providers, families, policymakers and businesses to develop and implement a regional action plan over the next year.
“Accessing affordable and high-quality child care has become one of the most prevalent challenges facing Livingston and Washtenaw County families,” said Ann Arbor SPARK president and CEO Paul Krutko in a release.
“The hope is that by bringing people who are not usually in the room into this conversation that affects all of us, we can start identifying realistic steps we can take to improve the state of local child care.”
Child care costs an average of $904 per month in both counties.
Child care providers struggle to survive, as businesses and child care employees make extremely low wages.
High child care costs also impact local businesses seeking employees, as many parents have made the decision to leave the workforce due to the costs and logistical challenges of child care.
“In our current system, everyone is struggling. Child care providers struggle with keeping their business running, child care workers with making ends meet, and families with finding affordable child care that meets their needs,” said Annette Sobocinski, director of the Child Care Network. “It is going to take multiple sectors coming together to find workable solutions for everyone.”
The coalition includes several area child care providers, families currently accessing child care, and representatives from Washtenaw County government, Trinity Health system, the Ann Arbor Community Foundation, Michigan Works! Southeast, and the Livingston and Washtenaw Great Start Readiness Programs.
It is funded by the Early Childhood Investment Corporation.
Ann Arbor SPARK is partnering with Public Sector Consultants, a women-owned nonpartisan policy research firm, to support this work. The research firm will be distributing community surveys and hosting additional interviews and focus groups.
Those wanting to stay current on project activities, including opportunities to share personal experiences with child care, by visiting annarborusa.org/childcare.