Military expands financial assistance for in-home child care to Colorado Springs service members

Active-Duty Service Members in Colorado Springs to Receive Financial Assistance for In-Home Child Care

Active-duty service members in Colorado Springs can now receive financial assistance for in-home child care from the Department of Defense (DOD) through the Child Care in Your Home program. This program aims to address the high demand for child care services among military families.

Expanding the Program to Meet Demand

The DOD announced that the Child Care in Your Home program would expand into Colorado Springs and other communities due to the long waitlists for DOD-facilitated child care. The program will cover 30 to 60 hours of care in a service member’s home.

Addressing Child Care Shortages

Child care is in high demand across El Paso County, particularly in areas around Fort Carson, including Fountain, Security, and Widefield. Kelly Hurtado, Vice President of Programs for Joint Initiatives for Youth + Families, a nonprofit serving the Pikes Peak region, stated that the early child care field has faced a workforce crisis. Parents often struggle with the financial burden of funding child care tuition, while child care providers are typically paid less than K-12 teachers.

Efforts to Support Early Childhood Educators

Joint Initiatives established a task force in late 2020 to address the workforce crisis in early child care. The task force focuses on helping early childhood educators gain credentials and providing support to early childhood business owners. Hurtado emphasized the importance of investing in early education teachers to grow the future workforce and leaders of the community.

Potential Solutions

The expansion of the DOD’s Child Care in Your Home program is expected to help alleviate the child care shortage. Additionally, proposals in the National Defense Authorization Act may lead to further investments and improved transparency in the availability of early child care. State investments, such as Colorado’s universal preschool program, can also assist families in accessing affordable child care.

Universal Preschool and Provider Sign-Ups

Colorado will introduce universal preschool in August, offering 15 hours of free care for families. This change aims to reduce out-of-pocket costs for child care throughout the community. According to Liz Denson, President and CEO of Early Connections Learning Centers, 160 local providers have already signed up to offer care, attracted by the state’s rates.

Focus on Infants and Toddlers

The highest need for child care in the community is for infants and toddlers. There is some concern that the new state funding for preschool may lead to an imbalance in available slots, favoring 4-year-olds over infants and toddlers. However, additional state funding could help offset this effect.

The DOD’s In-Home Child Care Model

The DOD’s model of funding in-home babysitters is considered “interesting and unique” by Liz Denson. She believes that other agencies could potentially adopt a similar approach. However, in-home care providers may face challenges when supporting children with challenging behaviors or additional needs.

Requirements for In-Home Care Providers

In order to participate in the DOD’s in-home child care program, providers must complete 32 hours of basic training, including CPR certification, first aid certification, and child abuse prevention training. They are also required to undergo background checks, including an FBI criminal history background check.

How to Participate in the DOD’s Financial Assistance Program

Parents interested in the DOD’s financial assistance program can find more information and specific details about the program at public.militarychildcare.csd.disa.mil/mcc-central/mcchome/mccyn. It is important for participants to research the tax implications and negotiate a contract with their child care provider.

Contact the writer at [email protected] or (719) 429-9264.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Identified in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 4.2: Ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education
• Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure, and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family
• Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
• Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

No specific indicators are mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: gazette.com

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