In 2021, Clay County Child Care faced closures, resulting in the loss of approximately 50 childcare slots due to staffing issues and other factors. The community, recognizing a longstanding childcare shortage exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, engaged in a strategic planning process, identifying capacity barriers such as staffing shortages and challenges in finding local contractors.

The Clay County Child Care Taskforce, in collaboration with USD 379, Clay County Medical Center, Lakeside Learning Tree, KDHE and local in-home daycare providers, worked collectively to address the childcare shortage. As the project progressed, USD 379 assumed a leading role in its implementation. Initially, some public officials were unaware of the childcare shortage’s impact, but after being educated on the issue, they extended their support. Concerns from in-home childcare providers regarding potential negative impacts were alleviated upon understanding the extent of the shortage, and efforts were made to inclusively involve all interested parties in the solution.

The childcare initiative in Clay County evolved through stakeholder collaboration, navigating grant challenges, and ultimately settling on retrofitting the middle school to address the shortage. The USD 379 program, responsive to community needs, will accept DCF payments and explore drop-in availability, demonstrating a strategic response to identified concerns.

The project secured nearly $200,000 through a Rural Champion Project Implementation Grant, focusing on construction, furnishings and design fees for childcare facilities at USD 379. Valuable state resources, including support from The Children’s Cabinet, Childcare Aware of Kansas and the Kansas Department of Commerce Community Service Tax Credits, complemented the project. Local backing, highlighted by donations, assistance from Grow Clay County and community members purchasing tax credits, underscored a collaborative and multifaceted approach to address childcare challenges.

Clay County Champion – Susie Swanson

A Rural Champion will help solve our community childcare shortage. Multiple closures have affected over 50 families. Two new in-home providers open, but they are unable to run at total capacity for various reasons and were started because they could not find childcare for their children. The closings have adversely impacted many employers, including the hospital, school, a large manufacturing firm, and many small businesses. One of the biggest challenges is finding and retaining childcare staff. When it comes to economic prosperity, we should view childcare as part of a community’s infrastructure, like water, sewer, and good streets; childcare is necessary for the workforce and businesses alike and affects the efficiencies and profit margins of companies.

The mission of Grow Clay County is to provide creative strategies through leadership and resources to sustain and grow our region’s vibrant economy and outstanding quality of life. By taking the lead and looking for innovative solutions, a Rural Champion will move us closer to solving the childcare crisis. Multiple meetings have taken place with current providers to address their needs and prevent further closures through funding, training, and support, but our community still faces a significant childcare shortage. The Rural Champion will work with a task force that includes collaboration between organizations and businesses to solve a community problem, as well as research business models for a center, grants to build or remodel a center, and the requirements to create a substitute pool.

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The Ford County Development Corporation aims to address the critical childcare shortage impacting local businesses and hindering workforce retention and growth. With 2,064 children in need and no licensed facilities offering non-traditional hours, the initiative seeks to create two new facilities through collaboration with USD 443 and Dodge City Community College.

Stakeholder engagement, including major employers like Cargill and National Beef, is crucial for the project. The committee, comprising various organizations such as the Dodge City/Ford County Development Corporation, Childcare Coalition, and educational institutions, highlights the collective effort toward achieving the childcare expansion goal.

Partnering with Childcare Aware and the KU Center, the project assesses early childhood care needs and gaps. Originally planning a large-scale facility, feasibility challenges shifted focus to annual donations from beef packing plants. Free seminars on becoming a childcare provider revealed interest but financial strains for in-home providers requiring specific equipment and start-up funds. The initiative underscores the need for diverse childcare options to address the significant local demand.

The projects leveraged a combination of grants, state and federal resources, and local support to address childcare needs. These resources encompassed funding for property acquisition, office needs, and wages, as well as valuable guidance on regulations, training and business development. Local backing from municipalities, educational institutions and major employers enriched the projects’ success, demonstrating a collaborative and multifaceted approach to childcare solutions.

Ford County Champion

The Dodge City/Ford County Development Corporation is a non-profit organization that promotes the growth and development of existing businesses and pursues quality new businesses to help sustain the economic vitality of the area. The childcare industry is an important economic driver within states. Parents need childcare to obtain and retain jobs. Access to high-quality affordable childcare allows parents to enter the workforce. Problems with childcare also affect parents’ long-term career prospects and advancement. A quarter of parents have reduced their work hours, turned down other job offers, or been prevented from pursuing further education and training. Other effects include parents rejecting promotions, reducing hours from full-time to part-time work, or quitting a job due to insufficient childcare. For Dodge City to continue to grow, our community must work together to increase affordable quality childcare facilities. I

In 2020, a childcare committee was formed, consisting of local and regional organizations to try to identify opportunities to tackle the childcare shortage. Local businesses and regional partners were engaged to explore a variety of opportunities. Based on this research it was determined that to meet our large shortage, the committee would need to focus on creating two new facilities: One operated by USD 443, located in south Dodge, serving 320 children during first shift and an additional 320 children during second shift. And another facility, operated by Dodge City Community College, located in north Dodge, serving 212 students during first shift and an additional 212 students during second shift. In addition, we are exploring possible grant opportunities, private partnerships, and fundraising opportunities to fund the construction of the facilities. The Rural Champion will provide the support needed to fill the gap in capacity and be dedicated to see the project through to completion.

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The community, driven by a 98% consensus from a survey, acknowledges the pressing need for more daycare, evident in the limited licensed openings catering primarily to school-aged children. Business surveys highlight workforce challenges due to childcare issues, impacting special schedules and hiring qualified individuals. Child Care Aware data for Decatur County reveals a demand for 125 childcare slots. Previous attempts in 2014 and a subsequent effort with Decatur Health faced challenges, emphasizing the complexity of staffing and stability issues without official sponsorship. The project underscores the critical need for sustainable childcare solutions in the community.

The project aims to provide quality and affordable childcare services, beginning with the establishment of a community daycare facility to add 12 slots and offer a unique learning curriculum. Approved by the USD 294 Board of Education, the coalition, formed in February 2022, engaged key stakeholders and community members to address the childcare shortage. Despite community doubt fueled by past failures, the coalition maintains confidence, highlighting successes as encouragement. Challenges in involving local childcare providers were addressed through one-on-one conversations to understand their perspectives and needs. The project emphasizes resilience in the face of skepticism and the importance of maintaining positive relationships within the community.

The project’s primary solution involves establishing a community daycare facility to add 12 childcare slots, aiming to address the shortage by also increasing the number of home providers and supporting existing and new providers. Faced with construction challenges, the project adapted by purchasing a property in Oberlin, currently under contract and set to open in early spring 2024. The Decatur County Childcare Coalition actively engages the community through initiatives, such as fair sponsorship, using grant funds for awareness and home renovation expenses.

The project in Oberlin leveraged a Rural Champion Project Implementation Grant to acquire property for a childcare facility, aiming to increase available slots for quality childcare. State resources from The Children’s Cabinet, Childcare Aware of Kansas and foundations like Dane G Hansen and Patterson Family Foundation, played a crucial role. Local support from GROW Decatur County, the City of Oberlin and the Oberlin Rotary Club, as well as non-financial resources from churches, the city, Decatur Health System and a local thrift store, further enriched the project’s success.

Decatur County Champion – Rebecca Nedland

After a Strategic Doings presentation in February 2022, a group of community members came together to create a coalition to address the childcare needs in our county. Using data from Child Care Aware of Kansas and a community survey, we concluded that a community childcare facility is seriously needed. Working with community leaders, we strategized what our next step should be. Our research led us to conclude that the USD 294 would be the best “parent” organization for our project. The mission statement of USD 294 is “Our mission. Their journey! Where kids come first!” USD 294 strives to guide their students on their educational journey from Pre-K through High School. With USD 294 sponsoring this childcare project, our children start that journey earlier. The USD 294 Childcare project curriculum can be aligned with the Pre-K program to help young children prepare for success from the moment they are born to the day they enter school. This project would increase the number of childcare slots available in our county.

According to data from Child Care Aware there are potentially 119 children in need of childcare in our county. The current number of childcare slots available is 43, leaving many families with limited opportunities for quality childcare options. In addition, two of the five current providers are near retirement age. Their retirement will leave the County with an even larger deficit of slots for our children. The Champion will help USD 294 Community Childcare Project progress more efficiently with the additional resources and connections that made available.

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Following discussions with local stakeholders, the Kingman County Economic Development Advisory Committee (KCEDAC) prioritized childcare due to a significant gap, with only 32% of needs met for 195 children. The Kingman County Childcare Coalition, launched in June 2022, tackles issues such as non-traditional childcare needs and employee benefits, supported by a Childcare Rural Champion hired in October 2022 with funding from the Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity. Barriers, including the need for increased parental involvement and provider hesitancy, are addressed through regular coalition meetings.

The project initiated with data from Childcare Aware and community surveys, identifying the need for additional childcare slots in Kingman County. Subsequent outreach events, including a movie screening, training sessions, and provider-focused events, engaged the community and formed a childcare taskforce. Challenges included obtaining support from local governments and addressing concerns from in-home providers, emphasizing the need for ongoing support and education.

The project focused on raising awareness of local childcare issues and collected crucial data through events, social media and surveys. Grants, including support from the South-Central Community Foundation and Childcare Aware of Kansas, facilitated the expansion of childcare capacity in Cunningham and Kingman Elementary School. The success measures include the upcoming opening of the new center in USD 331, maintaining current capacity, and supporting existing providers, ultimately ensuring that no providers closed and two new in-home providers opened.

The project utilized a combination of financial and non-financial resources to address childcare needs, including support from the Office of Rural Prosperity, Childcare Aware and the Accelerator program. Local resources from Kingman County and the City of Kingman, including matching funds, were instrumental, along with non-financial support from Childcare Aware for real-time data and training sessions.

Kingman County Champion – Johnna Fairchild

Based on meetings with local governments, childcare providers, school districts, employers, and parents/guardians, the Kingman County Economic Development Advisory Committee (KCEDAC) established childcare as its top priority, after housing, at their February 2022 meeting. The childcare champion will be tasked with creating and implementing a county-wide strategic plan.

The essential duties of the champion will include conducting research, analyzing data, meeting with stakeholders, writing grants, securing funding, and managing forthcoming projects. The potential impacts of this pilot program include a childcare center in the City of Kingman, full staffing at an existing center in Cunningham, and an increase of in-home providers county-wide. Other positive impacts include an increase in workforce participation, decreased financial burdens on new and current providers, and more economic opportunity for the entire county. The champion will provide the efficiency and expertise to ensure childcare policies, programs, and projects move forward and that tangible milestones are realized.

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