Task force: Many needs in child-care community
By JILL SCHRAMM, Staff Writer jschramm@minotdailynews.com
POSTED: May 15, 2008
Fact Box
County sees surge in licensing interestWard County Social Services has seen a surge in people inquiring about starting child-care services since Minot’s shortage gained publicity, said Amy Jenkins, child-care licenser with the county.
Her office annually averages two applicants a month from prospective child-care providers, she said. The busiest periods are the beginning and end of the school terms.
Now that a child-care center is being planned in south Minot in Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, the biggest need is for a similar center in north Minot, Jenkins said.
Minot needs more child-care providers in general because of the turnover that is occurring in the business, she said. The number of providers retiring or leaving the field for other employment is high in Minot, she said.
Also affecting child-care availability has been increased enforcement of a 1999 state law restricting unlicensed providers to caring for only five children, including his or her own.
Revocation of a license for repeated failure to comply with regulations is unusual. There have been only a handful of such cases in Ward County in the past eight years, Jenkins said.
The licensing standards are minimal standards and don’t reflect the best care that can be provided, Jenkins said. The state Legislature is expected to review the licensing laws next session and may introduce stricter standards.
Currently, an in-home provider needs to be certified in CPR and first aid and test for tuberculosis. Applicants go through a two-hour orientation through Ward County Social Services and their home is inspected by the licensing office and by fire officials.
Jenkins said the average time for an applicant for in-home services to get licensed is two months. Licensing can take up to six months for larger operations dealing with funding and other complicated issues.
– Jill Schramm
Inadequate funding, a need for more training and a shortage of child-care workers created by low pay and often no benefits all need to be addressed, providers and others in the community told the task force.
The task force held an organizational meeting Wednesday. It plans to meet again May 28 at 5:15 p.m. in City Hall.
Mayor Curt Zimbelman appointed the task force at the request of providers and parents. The city’s child-care situation came to the Minot City Council’s attention as a result of the announcement by ING that it is closing its care facility in June.
The task force took two initial steps at its first meeting. It has asked the city to contact ING about keeping its center open through the summer. Although the Minnesota agency that operates the center for ING is firm in withdrawing after June 27, there was discussion about continuing under another local, licensed operator.
The task force also voted to request that the city-county liaison committee discuss making more staff assistance available at Ward County Social Services to handle child-care licensing and to speed that process.
Child Care Resource and Referral also will be holding an informational event on May 29 for people interested in starting a child-care business.
Beyond the licensing process, finding child-care workers is the biggest hurdle in the community, according to providers. Good Shepherd Day Care Center is expanding, but others that want to expand lack staff to do so.
“We can’t even hire. We are in a crisis for hiring,” said LaVonne Beyerle, director of ABC Child Care, noting her center pays more than most. “It’s a crisis all the way around, not just with ING parents.”
Task force member Kristi Asendorf, director of Child Care Resource and Referral, said many child-care providers are struggling to pay bills. In looking to fund more child care, the city needs to keep existing providers in mind, she said.
The task force saw a need to research funding, which could range from foundation grants to business consortiums. It also plans to investigate the potential to expand school-based child care before and after school hours.
But it also wants to address the immediate concerns facing parents.
Beth VanDelinder, a pharmacist and a parent with a child at the ING center, said she has not been able to find replacement services.
“In six weeks, if I cannot find day care for my child, I will not be working. That’s how serious this crisis is,” she said.
Statistics from Child Care Resource and Referral show that there are potentially 4,433 children in Ward County needing child care. Licensed providers have capacity for 2,600 children.
From June 2006 through June 2007, the agency received requests for help in finding care for 682 children.
Lisa Jones, a parent utilizing the ING center, said she is willing to pay more to get the type of care that she wants for her children.
“I probably could find someone to ‘watch’ my child, but I want the preschool activities for them. I know that’s important to other parents,” she said.
Asendorf said the committee needs to consider more than just increasing child-care slots.
“They have to be quality slots or else we all pay for it in the end,” she said. “We need to be careful that we are not just warehousing children – that we look at quality situations for kids.”
