In Waunakee, preschool shines light on need for child care providers

With state leaders showing their support, a program at Arthouse Preschool in Waunakee highlighted the necessity of quality child care and the need for funding to keep it available during a Day Without Child Care May 13.

The Day without Childcare event brought the media to the Second Street child care facility, where young ones gathered around Heather Murray who helped explain how integral child care is to the state’s economy. Wearing shirts that read, “No child care, no workforce,” Murray and her preschool staff spoke with state Rep. Alex Joers and Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez about the child care crisis.

The Village of Waunakee recently awarded $85,000 from its American Rescue Plan Act dollars after village officials visited Arthouse Preschool with Joers earlier this year. Board members discussed the staffing difficulties before voting unanimously to approve the ARPA grant program.

Trustee Robert McPherson wrote the proposal to the board advocating for the funds, he explained at Monday’s event. After his daughter was born, the family was unable to find child care for the next 6 to 8 months, forcing him to take time off, he said. Without child care, most parents would be unable to work.

Speaking to the children, Murray noted that while their parents work, they have a place to play and learn each day. Rep. Joers, who brought his infant child to the event, said finding childcare was challenging for his family, as well.

“I am advocating for you every day so your parents can get to work,” Joers said. “I am super excited to do that for you guys.”

Lt. Governor Rodriguez reiterated how important child care is to the state’s economy.

“We’ve got so many jobs available for people. If we don’t have child care available, we don’t have people to fill those jobs,” Rodriguez said.

An article by UW-Madison’s UniverCity Alliance published in the Wisconsin Counties magazine notes that many Wisconsin counties are without enough child care providers to meet the demands of families. Also, providers “often struggle to remain financially profitable while families are burdened by cost of care, and child care workers are often underpaid and undervalued,” the article notes.

La Crosse County allocated $500,000 from ARPA funds to offer child care grants to provides similar to the new grant program in Waunakee, and Outagamie County awarded $2.75 million in grants investing in child care and early education development to two local non-profits to establish a Family Resource Center and a Shared Services Program, according the UniverCity Alliance article.