Ewing
Donohoe
Help is on the way for those seeking child care. The Early Care and Learning (ECL) system in our region — child care, preschool and other educational settings for children 0-5 — has been facing challenges for years. We know that every dollar invested in high-quality early childhood experiences results in $7 of savings over a lifetime, in addition to increased quality of life for kids, their parents and our region.
Rising costs, competition for educators and significant regulatory requirements, along with changes in both work structure and family dynamics, put pressure on an already-stressed system.
As a result, child care that meets families’ needs, especially for those seeking care for infants and toddlers, is much harder to find in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau counties.
According to an Aug. 31 article by Bridge Michigan, on a population-adjusted basis, Grand Traverse County currently has the longest waiting list for child care in Michigan at 3,200, and Grand Traverse County saw more than a third of its child care facilities close over the past three years. Neighboring counties are seeing similar challenges.
A lack of child care options hurts families when parents who need to work or go to school cannot because of difficulties finding care. This, in turn, hurts employers and communities that cannot hire or retain parents of young children, which is particularly critical during a time when employers are challenged to find and retain staff.
To address these challenges, we are excited to announce Child Caring Now, a new initiative of the Great Start Collaborative of Traverse Bay. Child Caring Now is using intensive research and systems analysis to strategically strengthen the region’s ECL system and provide families with more access to high-quality, affordable child care for their little ones. Already more than 70 parents, child care providers, early childhood experts, employers, elected officials and others have joined Child Caring Now and are working in a connected way to develop and implement solutions.
To meet the needs of the moment, Child Caring Now has formed action teams to:
- Recruit and support new child care providers — including individuals, businesses and school systems — adding to the capacity of the system;
- Expand learning opportunities and financial support for educators to earn early childhood credentials;
- Create a pool of substitute educators who can be shared by multiple providers;
- enhance mentorship programs for ECL educators and child care providers;
- And boost long-term financial stability for ECL professionals.
The timing of these local efforts aligns well with new support coming from the State of Michigan and US government. Millions of dollars of grants and support are being made available this year to strengthen the statewide ECL system. Child Caring Now is working to ensure that new and existing providers in our region are able to access these grants to improve access for parents and families.
Won’t you consider joining this work? We could use your passion and good ideas. If yes, please visit childcaringnow.org for more information.
About the authors: Becky Ewing recently retired from Rotary Charities of Traverse City after nearly 15 years, serving as the executive director for the last three years. She is the co-facilitator for the Child Caring Now initiative.
Yvonne Donohoe is the director of Early Childhood for Northwest Education Services. She serves as a co-lead for Northwest Early Childhood Support Network, which provides training and technical assistance for the Great Start network.
across our northern 36 counties.
. Currently, she serves as the Child Caring Now co-chair seeking broad stakeholder feedback to cultivate local innovative solutions to community child care concerns. Donohoe holds an MA in early childhood, counseling education and psychology and a doctorate in educational leadership.
About the authors: Becky Ewing recently retired from Rotary Charities of Traverse City after nearly 15 years, serving as the executive director for the last three years. She is the co-facilitator for the Child Caring Now initiative. She earned degrees in English and biology from Grand Valley State University.
Yvonne Donohoe is the director of Early Childhood for Northwest Education Services. She serves as a co-lead for Northwest Early Childhood Support Network, which provides training and technical assistance for the Great Start network across our northern 36 counties. Currently, she serves as the Child Caring Now co-chair seeking broad stakeholder feedback to cultivate local innovative solutions to community child care concerns. Donohoe holds an MA in early childhood, counseling education and psychology and a doctorate in educational leadership.
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