United Way seeking input on the availability of St. Joseph childcare
By Jazmine Knight
United Way is calling all employers, asking to hear their opinions on childcare and how it affects their workforce.
The goal of United Way’s Success by Six program is to prepare each child to prepare each child before they enter kindergarten, by making sure they are on track with their learning.
Due to the Success by Six program, many conversations have surfaced within the United Way and St. Joseph community focused on childcare and the impact it has on families.
Kylee Strough, President of United Way of Greater St. Joseph, says for the last year and a half, United Way has been working with Kids Win Missouri to address what gaps currently exist with regard to childcare.
“The next stage of this conversation… ‘is there a way to make child care more affordable and accessible for families that want to work and that need child care, but often run into barriers’?” said Strough.
One idea that has gained popularity in some communities is the idea of when the cost of childcare is shared between multiple parties.
“So the employer might offer it as a benefit to their employee. The family pays a little bit, and sometimes this state will kick in to help,” Strough said.
Through a series of previous input sessions and an upcoming session on Tuesday, December 3, United Way is seeking opinions from employers, small business owners, human resource professionals and more.
“Is that something you would be interested in? Does that actually make sense for your business? What would you need to know? How would it need to be shaped? Or is this not really something you’re hearing about and dealing with?,” said Strough.
During a previous input session on November 25, Strough says a number of guests identified as parents who struggle to find childcare.
“We had one person who shared that they were on a waiting list for 18 months,” said Strough. “Luckily she had a position where she could flex her hours to go weekends only, but not every family has that.”
Some families may even have to resort to having a stay-at-home parent. Childcare providers that were in attendance at previous United Way sessions said that they would love to open more spaces to service more kids.
However, attracting and retaining the necessary workforce can be challenging. Especially when hiring extra people means raising prices for already struggling families.
“The bigger issues are to help find more space for children to go first, because if you just lower the cost for the families who already have care, that doesn’t actually mean more children are able to access care,” she said.
After Tuesday’s session, the next step for United Way and Kids Win Missouri is to summarize and discuss their results among the six to eight other communities within the state cohort. Then, at the beginning of the new year, United Way and Kids Win Missouri will determine what solution will make sense for St. Joseph.
For any business owners, human resources professionals, or employers that are interested, the upcoming input session will take place on Tuesday, December 3 at 9 a.m. at the United Way of Greater St. Joseph, located at 118 S. 5th St.
If that time doesn’t work, individuals are being asked to contact United Way at 816-364-2381, in order to make their voices heard.
For more information about the Success by Six program, visit the United Way’s website at www.stjosephunitedway.org/united-way-success-6.
