Finding child care in the Upper Minnesota Valley Region is a growing challenge. Statewide, professionals are coining this concern as an actual crisis. In response to the increased need of child care options, the UMVRDC, with funding help from the Southwest Initiative Foundation, has documented case studies to provide examples of regional child care facilities. Child care is considered an economic driver in our rural communities and these studies can provide guidance as to how individuals, communities, employers, etc. have rolled up their sleeves in order to meet the needs of our local families.
Additional Child Care Resources:
For the past three years, child care has been ranked in the top five issues in our region according to the UMVRDC annual survey. This is a complicated issue without a simple solution. With the help of community partners, the UMVRDC can work to address the shortfall in our communities and build a more solid child care system that people in the region can depend on.
The UMVRDC has compiled case studies on regional child care examples (see above), meeting with experts in child care, listening to employers in the region, gathering child care resources, and working to educate community leaders on the complexities of the topic and its wide-ranging impacts.
The UMVRDC plans to use their resources to:
- Collect relevant information about child care and how it impacts communities in our region.
- Connect regularly with experts in the childcare field.
- Share the information gathered on our website and on social media.
Resources & Information:
County Funding ProgramsUMVRDC Annual Survey ResultsEarly Care & Education ProfileFirst Children’s Finance Training OpportunitiesFirst Children’s Finance Child Care Needs Summary
Community Partners:
