A very informative and participative meeting last week focused on childcare challenges.
Participants were informed through data that the Childcare Network has gathered in Hillsdale, Monroe, and Lenawee Counties. Lenawee Now won a grant of $230,000.00 this year to fund the work. The goal is to understand the challenges parents, childcare providers, employers, and others struggle with to provide affordable, accessible childcare. The Childcare Network was hired by Lenawee Now to facilitate the process. Parents, employers, and providers joined us last week to respond to the data and offer insights into our process. Other regions were funded by the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC) and the State of Michigan. When the data and suggestions from these regions are captured a statewide plan to address challenges in providing care will emerge. The next step will be to implement solutions in each region, hopefully with some funding from the ECIC and the State.
Lenawee Now’s goals include working with the Childcare Network in creating and maintaining a very collaborative process while we hear from our partners, parents, and employers about their challenges. Lenawee County has a low labor force participation rate, which means many adults who are eligible to work do not work. One of our goals is to determine how many adults are not working because of childcare challenges and do what we can to assist them in finding solutions.
If you are interested in being part of the process please contact Randy at Lenawee Now randy@lenaweenow.org and he will respond to your willingness to engage.