Chaffee County Early Childhood Council Seeks Parent Input for Annual Countywide Child Care Survey
Press Release; Chaffee County Early Childhood Council Contact: Janine Pryor, (719) 221-5114 or [email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CHAFFEE COUNTY EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL SEEKS PARENT INPUT FOR ANNUAL COUNTYWIDE CHILD CARE SURVEY
March 28, 2019 – The Chaffee County Early Childhood Council has made available its second-annual Chaffee County Child Care Survey to monitor and support the child care needs of local families. Chaffee County parents with young children (infant through 5 years old) are encouraged to take the survey which asks questions about their child care needs, their experience seeking suitable care, and their interest in providing child care for others. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and is available online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CCECC2019 through April 30.
The Council uses survey results to direct its work for maximum benefit, including recruiting and supporting legally exempt (unlicensed) home child care, new licensed homes and centers, and expanding care at existing sites, especially those serving infants and toddlers.
A total of 143 parents took the survey in 2018, and the Council hopes to increase that total to 200 this year.
Janine Pryor, the Council’s coordinator, said the 2018 survey results demonstrated that parents with young children face considerable challenges finding quality, affordable child care in Chaffee County, and that this is cause for concern for the entire community. “A total of 65 percent of Buena Vista parents and 73 percent from Salida reported that a lack of child care is causing them to consider quitting their jobs or moving from the area, and 64 percent report that a lack of child care makes it difficult for them to get and keep employment,” Pryor said.
“This is an issue not only for parents, but all Chaffee County residents,” she continued. “To remain competitive in the 21st-century global economy, Chaffee County must recognize the value of child care and early childhood education as a support system for working families.”
About Chaffee County Early Childhood Council
Chaffee County Early Childhood Council is a group of local agencies and individuals, including parents and professionals in the areas of health, mental health, child care and education, who are committed to working together to support Chaffee County’s parents and caregivers. The Council’s mission is to build a comprehensive, sustainable system of local services that ensures all Chaffee County children have the supports they need to start school ready to learn. The Council was established in 2007 with funding from a multi-year grant through the Colorado Department of Education and is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. More information is available at www.ccecc.org or on Facebook – @ChaffeeCountyECC.