The Highlands Economic Partnership distributing a regional childcare survey to local industries to evaluate how childcare accessibility and affordability are impacting the local workforce.
Highlands Economic President and CEO Amy New said the survey is being sent to both small and large scale employers to gauge the specific needs of their employees. New said the organization is trying to determine if the region is facing a capacity situation where there are not enough slots available or an affordability situation where existing care is too expensive for workers.
“Some of the biggest barriers are one, transportation, but two, childcare,” New said. “And so having someone to watch their child so they can be there, specifically in the summer or even during the school time, having someone to pick up their kids at three o’clock.”
New said the shift in childcare needs stems partly from the fact that multigenerational family support is less available than in previous years. New said many grandparents or relatives who traditionally provided care are now working until they are 70 or 75 years old, either by choice or necessity.
“We hear that they have nowhere for their kids to go,” New said. “And so in some cases they have to be at home. They can’t have a job because they don’t have anywhere for their child to go. And so one, just not being able to work at all, but also in some cases whenever someone’s initially starting in, like, an entry-level role, they are not making enough to be able to offset the cost for childcare.”
The survey also asks businesses about their current hours and shift schedules to help identify what type of facilities the region might need. New said Highlands Economic Partnership is exploring long-term solutions such as encouraging employers to offer childcare vouchers and incentives.
“There’s a multifaceted approach that we plan to do, but one, long-term we would love to see more capacity here while also offering incentives to our employees who could send their kids to these facilities,” New said. “We’re looking at options on, you know, do we send out some type of RFP to childcare companies in the area to look at doing something like that here in the Upper Cumberland? Or do we share this information with all of the existing daycare facilities to see is there an opportunity for them to either build capacity or maybe offer some type of discount as well?”
New said they are also looking at potential partnerships with local churches or the YMCA to address the gap between the end of the school day and the end of the work shift. New said these discussions include solving the transportation aspect of moving children from schools to after-care facilities.
“We thought we were kind of past the point of needing childcare until of needing more resources because, you know, for a while that was like the buzzword and now it’s coming back, and I think it’s because again, so many people, their family members who traditionally would be watching kids, are still working and because they can’t afford to not be working,” New said. “And that’s so hard.”
Employers who did not receive the survey via email can contact the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce.
