The Workforce Childcare Initiative (WCI) ensures that high-quality childcare services are available, affordable, and accessible to all members of our community. Through key partnerships with area businesses, foundations, and community groups we seek to offer a range of childcare in close proximity to key employment districts. In order to ensure success, WCI seeks to create the following opportunities:
- Employer-subsidized childcare centers to address care needs of infants through preschool
- Formal partnerships with quality in-home childcare providers who are certified and supported by the Community Action training and supervision program
- Partnerships with area youth service organizations, churches, and after-school programs to help fill the need for scheduled and emergency out-of-home care.
My business is interested in providing space for a childcare center
Community Action will provide all administrative, program, curricular, and human resources support for the operation of workforce childcare centers. Participating employers, individually or in collaboration with partner businesses, will:
- Provide physical space for the center, either through existing physical plant allocation or arrangement for external space in close proximity to the employment site.
- As a general rule physical space must meet the following guidelines,
- A teacher-child ratio of no more than 4:1 for infants and 8:1 for toddlers and preschool-age children,
- Classroom space must provide 35 square feet of usable wall-to-wall space per child,
- Access to outdoor space equal to at least 60 square feet per child,
- Access to 'child-only' restroom facilities
- As a general rule physical space must meet the following guidelines,
- Subsidize employee care based on an agreed-upon, sliding fee scale that allows employees to pay more for care as they progress in the company.
- Participate on an advisory board.
We are a smaller employer but are still in need of care
There may be options to engage in the program:
- Join an existing partner center with allocated spots commensurate to your needs,
- Engage with a WCI in-home childcare provider
