Childcare. Image courtesy: WAOW TV
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU-WAOW) – The childcare shortage continues, and local leaders want to hear from the public on how to fix it.
The North Central Wisconsin Workforce Development Board hosted a community conversation session at UWSP-Wausau to talk about the issue.
Being an expecting parents already comes with stressors, something Noor Hassan knows all too well. “It was a very overwhelming process.” said Hassan. She started looking into childcare for her baby during her second trimester, and it’s proving difficult.
“It’s been very stressful and at times discouraging, because you know I’ve tried reaching out to several childcare providers, it’s very hard to get a call back, I assume it’s because they are overwhelmed themselves and understaffed.” said Hassan.
Marathon County has lost 50 percent of its childcare providers, according to the Marathon County Dream Up plan.
“The cost of childcare is too high so parents are deciding to stay home and that’s just increasing the labor shortage even more.” said Elsa Duranceau, with the North Central Wisconsin Workforce Development Board.
“One entity can’t solve it all, you need families, you need even the children here, you need everybody because it affects everyone,” said Duranceau, it is the foundation of our community.” said Duranceau.
Marathon County has already received a $75,000 “Dream Up” grant to address the childcare shortage.
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