WABASH, Ind. (7/10/17) There are over 2,000 young children in Wabash County between the ages of 0-5 and data shows that 71% of their parents work. Where are those children while their parents are working? Are they prepared for kindergarten? Is childcare in Wabash County affordable and accessible? These are questions an Early Childhood Education Committee, established by the Community Foundation of Wabash County, is working to answer.
The gap between children in care and those needing care is apparent to the Community Foundation, which focuses on early childhood education as one if its strategic initiatives. The Foundation has funded Transform Consulting Group, an expert in early education, to gather partners and develop a community-wide plan to get more children ready for school. The steering committee includes county leaders representing childcare providers, employers, public schools, parents, higher education, economic development, healthcare, mental healthcare, social services, and city government.
“We know there are only 391 children enrolled in childcare in our county—so where are the other 1,600 some children while their parents are working? We understand the financial challenges parents face when finding high quality places for their kids. We know the problems employers face when struggling to retain talent due to the lack of childcare options, and we know that some of our kindergarten students are arriving at school unprepared to learn. We believe we and our community partners can do something to address these issues,” said Julie Garber, Program Director of the Community Foundation of Wabash County.
When childcare is unstable for parents, it is not just families who suffer. Employers suffer from absenteeism. Schools need additional public resources to help children who are unprepared for kindergarten. Over time, whole communities experience the social costs of low or no early education that are at the source of poverty, teen pregnancy, abuse, and addiction. Studies show that for every dollar a community invests in early childhood education, the return on investment can be $4-$15 due to lower special education costs, retention savings, reduced cost for social services, increases in post-secondary attainment, and lower crime costs.
Wabash County doesn’t have to wait 15-18 years to see that return. Early childhood education impacts parents and the workforce now:
- 45% of parents are absent from work annually at least once due to childcare issues.
- 65% of parents’ work schedules are affected by childcare challenges an average of 7.5 times annually.
- These childcare challenges cost US employers an estimated $3 billion annually.
The numbers speak directly to Grow Wabash County (formerly The Economic Development Group of Wabash County and the Wabash County Chamber of Commerce). “This is not an issue we can just throw off on families to deal with alone. The lack of child care options in our community, the quality of programs, and high costs are issues that will impact ALL of us. It affects our ability to recruit top employers, and their ability to recruit top talent and a steady stream of employees,” said President and CEO Keith Gillenwater.
Led by the expertise of Transform Consulting Group, the Wabash County Early Childhood Education Committee is gathering feedback from the community and will roll out a strategic plan by the end of the year. The Committee is working to engage a diverse group of community stakeholders and seeks community participation from:
- Business Community: The Committee created a survey for businesses to provide feedback on how childcare affects the workforce and the bottom line. Businesses can find the survey online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WabashCoBusinessChildcare or fill out a hard copy survey which is available at the Community Foundation of Wabash County office (located at 105 West Second Street, Suite 100, North Manchester) or Transform Consulting Group office (located at 144 S. Wabash Street, Wabash). Members of Grow Wabash County will receive a link to the survey through an email sent to them. The deadline to complete this survey is July 28th.
- Parents: The Committee has met with parents of young children in Wabash County through focus groups. Any parent of young children who work or live in Wabash County can complete a survey online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WabashCoParentSurvey or fill out a hard copy survey available at the Community Foundation of Wabash County office (105 West Second Street, Suite 100, North Manchester) or Transform Consulting Group office (144 S. Wabash Street, Wabash).
- Child Care Providers: The Committee is gathering insight from existing childcare and preschool programs in Wabash County. If you have not been contacted yet, please contact Transform Consulting Group’s Sara Anderson at 317-324-4070 ext. 20 to share information about your early childhood education program including the available seats in your program, challenges, and insights from staff and parents.
The data collected from these surveys and focus groups is anonymous and shared only in an aggregate form.
For more information about the Wabash County Early Childhood Education Committee or to arrange an interview, contact Amanda Schortgen, Communication Manager, 317.324.4070 ext. 11.