Lack of affordable childcare looms large in Jasper County

Editor’s note: This is the fifth in a series of articles exploring the results of the Jasper County Community Health Needs Assessment.

Lack of childcare is a top concern in the community Health Needs Assessment, and it is an issue that has been present in the county for an extended period of time. With a workforce shortage perception of more than 56 percent for childcare providers in the county, finding quality childcare close to home is more difficult than ever for local families.

More than 16 percent of respondents also eported they were unable to get childcare when it was needed in the past year. For those who attended the community town hall meeting, lack of childcare was a top three concern.

The county is also falling behind in head start programs, which are designed to help children ages 5 and under who come from families at or below poverty level. In Jasper County, there is a rate of 4.63 per 10,000 kids in a head start program, below the state average of 13.16 per 10,000 kids, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“This indicator is important because the program’s goal is to help children become ready for kindergarten while also providing the needed requirements to thrive, including health care and food support,” the report said.

Preschool fares better with 426 children ages 3 and 4 enrolled in the county. That is 44.24 percent of those children that age within the borders compared to 43.19 percent of kids in the state according, to the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey.

To address the issue of lack of affordable daycare, the county plans to launch a public awareness campaign through local media, including social media, newspapers and radio, highlighting the importance of children in improving community health. Information will be presented at a Jasper County Cares meeting and using social media will be promoted. Jasper County Cares will also update the county resource guide with any childcare information available.

The county will monitor state guild lines and advocate for changes for the childcare system. Promotions and offerings to train childcare providers will also be rolled out with a completion date for all efforts Dec. 31, 2026.

By doing so, the county hopes to increase awareness about childcare resources available in Jasper County. It also hopes to increase the people utilizing affordable childcare resources and increase the number of trained childcare providers.