Kentucky kids need safe spaces to learn and socialize while their parents work. And before they begin kindergarten, many families rely on child care – whether in homes or centers – to provide this care. Despite the clear indication that child care is needed for Kentucky families, there continue to be challenges to finding and staying connected to care, especially for children with disabilities.  During the month of September, KYA surveyed child care center directors/owners [...]

We are in the final countdown! The final federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan will run out on September 30th, and the child care industry will be expected to stand on its own two feet.   Unfortunately, child care was barely surviving prior to the pandemic, and with the inflation that has occurred in the past four years, the industry is not set-up to be successful. The biggest challenge to overcome is the cost [...]

The entire workforce is struggling to find the high-quality employees that it needs to stabilize business. In the past, employers could offer a competitive salary and a benefit package with health insurance and that would be enough to draw in the employees they needed.  However, that is no longer the case. Eighty-three percent of working families with children under the age of five are struggling to pay for child care. If the adults in the [...]