Limited day care is impacting the region's parents, with few solutions in sight

Five-year-old Haile loves figure skating, playing in the park and being a big sister. Three-year-old Reesa loves horses and playing dress-up. Her big sister is her best friend.

Haile and Reesa are two normal children who live with their mother, Laura Pessenda, in Chisholm. Unfortunately, this single-parent household is experiencing an issue that should be anything from normal, but is becoming more common.

Pessenda cannot find childcare for her two children. She is currently unemployed and has to turn down jobs due to lack of childcare. She has had to tighten and cut spending to make ends meet and stay afloat.

"As a single mom it is hard because I can only work days and no weekends," Pessenda said. "I'm not ashamed in any way of my struggles because I do the best I can for my kids and that's all I can do. I am currently waiting on two spots in a day care so I can start a new job."

Although Pessenda has some family in the area who help with childcare, it is not regular enough for her to accept a job. Due to her situation, she has considered starting a day care, but knows it will not be a good fit for her or their low-income apartment.

For all of these reasons, Pessenda has had to look toward the future. The lack of childcare in the area has affected her future family planning, and she freely acknowledges that she probably will not have more children.

While reaching out for area residents to discuss childcare shortage issues across the Range, responses similar to Pressenda's situation flooded in.

A grandmother stated that her family couldn't find day care for her autistic grandson. Although day cares cannot discriminate, they can ask a family to leave if they cannot provide appropriate care. Several families reported having issues finding part-time childcare and care during second and third shift work.

Susan Sauls, a family day care supervisor for St. Louis County, acknowledges these and more issues throughout the region and state.

"We need more childcare providers," Sauls said, "especially those who provide infant

care and are willing to work different shifts."

Challenges

In the last several years the federal government has passed legislation that states must enforce, resulting in increased training and inspections of childcare providers.

Along with the requirement of more training and documentation, childcare facilities now receive one random inspection a year, an increase from one every two years.

Everyone interviewed for this article agrees that educated providers give better childcare and the facilities, whether in-home or a center, are safer for the children. Although the legislation has put strain on the childcare system, it is generally acknowledged as beneficial.

To many older providers, these changes have been a strain and many have decided to retire or change career fields. Potential new providers are sometimes scared off by the regulations, long hours and low pay. The state average annual salary for family childcare providers is $24,566.

At the same time that providers are fighting low pay, parents are experiencing rising childcare costs. The average cost of childcare on the Iron Range is $3-$4 dollars an hour, depending on the age of the child, according to various providers.

Minnesota is ranked the sixth least affordable state for center-based and 39th least affordable for in-home infant childcare. Minnesota is also ranked as the eighth least affordable state for center-based care and 36th least affordable for in-home 4-year-old childcare.

By the numbers

According to Minnesota Department of Human Services, of the more than 600,000 Minnesota families with at least one child 12 or younger, most utilize some type of childcare

Across the state of Minnesota there are 8,896 licensed family childcare providers with a combined capacity to serve 104,187 children. Of the state total, 62.5 percent are located in greater Minnesota and service 63.4 percent of children in care.

Across the state there are 1,711 licensed childcare centers with a combined capacity to serve 123,605 children. Of the state total, 38 percent of childcare centers are in greater Minnesota and service 29 percent of children in care.

According to a January 2017 report providing recommendations to the Minnesota Legislature, greater Minnesota lost 15,000 individual child spaces between 2005 and 2014. Northeast Minnesota, which includes St. Louis County, needs 55 percent growth in licensed childcare capacity to fill the gap between children needing care and space available, according to the report.

The majority of St. Louis County is classified as a childcare desert. According to the DHS website this "...is an area where there are at least three times the number of children than licensed child care spaces."

In northern St. Louis County (Floodwood and north) there are only 97 licensed childcare facilities- both in-home and centers.

In-home childcare

Jamie Heitzman technically lives in Mountain Iron but her property claims several acres near a lake. Her backyard has a jungle gym and sandbox and toddlers play with a colorful parachute on a beautiful June day.

On this day, Heitzman has 11 children at her in-home daycare, three of which are her own. The children range in age from 4 months to 10 years.

"I don't have an infant spot open until February of 2018," said Heitzman. "I feel terrible for pregnant people."

She hands over the "Child Care Capacity Graph" for Minnesota which lists the maximum number of children she can care for at one time. As one adult, she can provide care for 10 children, with two being infants. Or she could have up to 12 children with only one infant. All children 12 years of age and under count toward her total.

She rocks a stroller that holds a sleeping baby while the other children toddle and play.

"I got into this because when I had my daughter there were no day care openings," said Heitzman, motioning to a 3-year-old on the swings. "Besides, it wouldn't pay for me to work with three kids in day care."

Heitzman went to school for elementary education and never planned to be a day care provider. She was somewhat forced into the position due to the needs of her family. Now, along with her own children, she also provides childcare for two nephews and other area families. Some from as far as Hibbing.

Although this wasn't her plan, Heitzman admits that it has worked out, but it wasn't necessarily an easy start and most new providers know within the first year if it is a good choice for them.

In-home daycares are licensed by the county and can be closed by the state.

In the last decade rules and regulations have been updated. Heitzman found that to become licensed she had to change windows throughout her house to provide egress for safety.

"We updated one room at a time," Heitzman said admitting that it was an expensive project, "getting each room licensed as we progressed."

In Eveleth, Heidi Fingeroos also operates a daycare out of her home. Like Heitzman, Fingeroos was forced into the field due to not finding childcare for her own children, who are now 8 and 5 years old.

Fingeroos worked as a pharmacy technician until the day care her children attended closed three years ago.

"I get calls and Facebook messages asking if I have openings," said Fingeroos, "sometimes four or five a day."

Heitzman experiences much of the same, and neither keep waiting lists.

Although there are negatives to having an in-home daycare, like lack of benefits and time off, but Heitzman said that there are positives to the job.

"Kids are so real and honest; it is fun," she said. "I missed a lot when my oldest was in day care."

Her son, who is 10 years old, lead a group of children from the parachute back to the jungle gym as Heitzman told their story. He politely waited to interrupt the conversation to say, "I love daycare because I am at home and I love my mom."

At Fingeroos' house, 8-year-old Madison said her favorite color is yellow and that she likes the daycare in her house, too. "

I make a lot of new friends," said the little girl between cartwheels.

Childcare center

The halls are quiet in the Apple Tree Learning Center, a childcare facility in Virginia, during nap time. Executive Director Patricia Monacelli gives a quick tour of the facility pointing to rooms of sleeping children and crawling babies.

Apple Tree opened in 1981 as a collaborative project between AEOA and the Virginia hospital.

"The original purpose for developing the center was to provide quality childcare for economically disadvantaged families enrolled in community action programs," explained Monacelli. "It was the first alternative in an area where the only care available was child care homes."

In 1985, Apple Tree became an independent nonprofit as it is today. In 1994, a 11,200-square-foot vacant grocery store was purchased and renovated into the current facility.

Childcare centers like Apple Tree are licensed by the state of Minnesota. Often children are divided by age group with caregivers working with a specific group in an age-appropriate setting.

"Our center includes five age-specific classrooms and has a licensed capacity of 127 children," Monacelli said.

Even with space for so many children, Apple Tree receives calls and applications for spots every day. There is currently a one-to-two year waiting list for child care spots, with the longest waits being for infant care.

"The gap in childcare will not be filled by a single, new in-home provider," said Monacelli of Apple Tree. "We will need bigger centers to be opened to fill that gap."

The idea Monacelli proposed is to build childcare facilities. By organizations working together, like the IRRRB and Mesabi Range College, a possible dent could be made in the childcare gap.

County assistance

Sauls, the county day care supervisor, has been working in social services with the focus on childcare for over 25 years.

"The reward in providing childcare is more about helping another family," said Sauls about the field. "It is an honor to help parents raise their children. It takes a village to raise a child."

Sauls added that quality childcare is an important prevention program by providing a stable upbringing and quality education.

Parent Aware is a statewide program to help parents make the most informed decisions possible about childcare providers, and Sauls encourages it to parents.

"The upfront investment by parents makes it easier to leave your child in someone's care," she said. "I encourage parents to take time and interview providers. This not only helps the parents but also lets the provider know what is important to that family."

Information about Parent Aware can be found at the multilingual website, www.childcareawaremn.org. The website provides statewide information and a search option to find a full list of licensed providers in specific areas and their star rating which is based on training.

For families who are finding childcare too expensive, Sauls encourages parents to apply for the Early Learning Scholarship through St. Louis County. This is a scholarship that can assist covering educational program fees for three and four year old children.

To find out if you qualify for childcare assistance or more about being licensed as a childcare provider call St. Louis County Social Services intake hotline at 218-726-2400.