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Whatcom County pushes to stabilize child care as COVID-19 reduces availability. Here's how

Bellingham Herald - 9/15/2020

Sep. 15--Much of Whatcom County already was a child care desert when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

The impact is such that 25 child care programs have closed in Whatcom as of Sept. 8 -- representing about 22% of the county's providers, advocacy group Child Care Aware of Washington told The Bellingham Herald.

It's not just a Whatcom County issue. There's a child care shortage nationally and in the rest of Washington state, one made worse by the pandemic.

In Washington, 870 licensed child care programs have closed across the state -- or 16% of providers, according to Child Care Aware. It had been as high as 24% at one point because of the pandemic.

"Some of the closures were just for a week or two, and some closures could have been longer," Marcia Jacob, spokeswoman for Child Care Aware of Washington, explained to The Herald. "Back in March and April, the numbers of closed programs were steadily rising and only a few programs were reopening. Now, more providers are reopening every day."

Before the pandemic, more than 500,000 children in the state didn't have access to licensed child care, according to a recent Child Care Industry Assessment Report released by the Department of Commerce. Low- and middle-income families struggle to afford child care, and the report said that a "dramatic investment in child care" was needed for a robust economic recovery to be possible in the state.

It's the same for child care providers and families in the rest of the U.S.

"As the nation continues to grapple with the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic, child care is among the hardest-hit and least supported industries," according to a study posted online by the Center for American Progress, which noted that pandemic response such as physical distancing mandates and the need to buy more sanitation supplies have increased costs, on average, by 47% to 70%.

Despite help from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act, which provided $3.5 billion to support access to child care, the money was "woefully insufficient to meet the ever-growing need," the study said.

It said that "without significant federal investment, half of America's child care capacity is at risk of permanent closure."

That's not to say efforts haven't been underway to help child care facilities in Whatcom. Local governments have distributed CARES Act dollars to providers as well.

More recently, United Way of Whatcom County received an $82,500 grant from the state Department of Commerce for its Child Care Collaborative project. It was part of nearly $1.4 million in grants to develop plans to add child care, according to a Commerce news release.

About 36% of Whatcom County households struggle to afford basic necessities that include child care, food and housing, according to United Way's newest ALICE report, which was released in June with pre-COVID data. Officials expect the pandemic to deepen their hardship.

Commerce also has provided $500,000 for the Northwest Center for Child Care Retention & Expansion in Bellingham, which is overseen by the nonprofit Opportunity Council.

It had a soft opening in August, as a joint effort of the Opportunity Council and the Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce. Opportunity Council will staff the center, which is located in the Chamber's office in downtown Bellingham.

The center will provide technical assistance, coaching, feasibility studies and planning help for current or would-be child care providers, those who make policy and local businesses. It also will provide grants, according to a news release from Opportunity Council and the Chamber.

"The center has one very big goal: help parents, especially those comprising local companies' workforces, have more quality care options for their children, whether it's near their home or place of employment," said Guy Occhiogrosso, the chamber's president/CEO.

"Quality child care supports employers and business today and is also a long-term economic benefit resulting in an even greater educated workforce," he said.

The center, which already was in the works before the pandemic, also has support from a number of philanthropic organizations and the nonprofit North Sound Accountable Community of Health in Bellingham, according to the release.

As for the new center, it will focus on:

-- Stabilizing the child care market hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.

-- Retaining child care businesses and nonprofits during transitions, such as when a provider retires.

-- Starting new child care operations, including those financially supported in part by local businesses or co-ops of local companies.

-- Expanding current child care businesses and nonprofits.

-- Routinely including child care spaces in new housing and commercial developments.

-- Pushing to change local, state and federal regulations that are barriers to maintaining and expanding the child care market.

"Many forces have contributed to our area being designated a 'child care desert,' " said Greg Winter, executive director for Opportunity Council, in the release, adding that he believed the new center would address them and "create a competitive edge for our communities."

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