Wyandotte County child care gap stands at 71%

A large child care gap

Only 29% of Wyandotte County’s child care needs are being met. That leaves a substantial gap for families seeking care, while raising the question of whether more providers can be recruited.

Monthly orientation question

A monthly orientation is being considered as a way to connect potential providers with information about entering the child care field. The approach would give interested people a recurring opportunity to learn what is required before deciding whether to move forward.

The 29% figure does not show how many people might attend an orientation or how many could eventually open programs. It also does not establish how quickly any new providers could begin serving families.

What the figure shows

The central issue is capacity: the county’s current child care supply meets less than one-third of identified need. A recurring orientation could be one step in addressing that shortage, but the number of new providers would depend on what happens after each session.

Families and local officials will need to track whether the orientation process leads to applications, program openings and additional available slots. Those measures would show whether the effort is changing the county’s child care supply.

Read the KCUR report on Wyandotte County’s child care needs.