It's hoped that a child care survey will assist in addressing the needs for such services in Nobles County.
A Parent, Provider, Center Director and Employer survey are each being done. They're being conducted in collaboration with First Children's Finance as part of the Rural Child Care Innovation Program.
This past March, First Children's Finance conducted a child care need assessment that showed an approximate shortage of 952 child care slots in Nobles County. The 2021 census reported 22,183 residents living in the county.
Child care shortages make it difficult for employers to operate at full staffing capacities because families must either cut back on the hours they work or opt out of the workforce altogether to care for their children. Other families find challenges by having to rely solely on one income, or by having to travel long distances to find child care in other communities. To support workforce development, retention, and economic growth, Nobles County is participating in the Rural Child Care Innovation Program to explore and implement local and right-sized solutions to address child care shortages.
For more information about the program or the surveys, contact Joshua Schuetz at (507) 841-2139 or by email at joshua.schuetz@cedausa.com.
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