Plans to remedy a shortage of child care throughout Jefferson County took a leap forward recently, thanks to funds allocated to local child care advocates including partners from Jefferson Healthcare, YMCA and Peninsula College.

The task force was able to create a series of recommendations which included an assessment process to determine the scope of Jefferson County’s child care needs. Interviews with child care providers, human resource leaders from local employers, and other key informants in the community all contributed to the assessment.

Approximately 200 local families with young children participated in a child care questionnaire, of which, more than 73 percent reported it was either hard or very hard to find child care in the county.

Following the assessment, the task force recommended a concept to adequately address the county’s child care services, including a high-quality child care center, serving approximately 40 children, under school age, located near the county’s largest employers.

Further planning, including site location, feasibility study, and funding is currently underway by the group.

To read a full report from the task force on the child care center concept and the needs assessment informing the concept, visit www.jeffersonhealthcare.org/population-health/.