As Governors continue to address the consequences of the pandemic, policymakers and state leaders can consider how to strengthen the role of child care as a tool to support maternal, child and whole-family health.
Through these surveys, the county aims to better understand the child care needs and challenges faced by parents, family child care providers, child care center directors, and area employers.
The county is in the midst of a historic shortage of child care. A study conducted by First Children’s Finance on behalf of the City of Worthington in 2021 found a shortage of 500-700 child care slots, with 48% of the need in infant and toddler categories.