Kansas Child Blog

In Labette County, residents like coalition leader Kandy, parents Travis and Katrina, and veteran child care provider Kim highlight a critical issue: a severe shortage of child care options. They agree that urgent action is needed to close the gap between families in need and the limited number of providers.

In Neosho County, nestled in Southeastern Kansas, lies the city of Chanute. With just over 8,500 inhabitants, Chanute is home to many people seeking available and affordable child care. However, with a poverty rate of 18.8% (a rate 25% higher than the rest of Neosho County, and 1.5 times higher than that of the state of Kansas), its citizens are struggling to find these options.

As Seward County contends with the child care needs of its citizens, there is much hope that presents itself at every turn. Its coalition leaders, families, and providers each see that there is more to be done, and they have the grit and gumption that it will take to continue to advocate for themselves and the needs of their community.

The rewards of offering child care benefits to employees are undeniable for these businesses. Each of these representatives shared that child care benefits were primarily used as a recruitment tool, but they have seen further benefits for the businesses themselves in terms of retention, profit, company culture, and community impact.

Early care and education professionals have historically faced substantial obstacles when it comes to maintaining a healthy and motivated workforce.

The information we gather is used to inform parents about child care programs that have openings for their child(ren), based on the parent’s needs.