HOUSTON – Are you a parent who struggles to find affordable childcare in your area? With summer rapidly approaching, we know this can be a common issue for parents.
According to Children at Risk, Texas, like many other regions, is facing challenges with providing adequate childcare options to its residents.
The availability of childcare providers can vary greatly depending on the zip code, resulting in uneven distribution across the state. ‘'
The lack of consistent and accessible childcare services has been a long-standing issue that impacts families and communities.
According to a recent report, the number of children with working parents in Texas has slightly declined compared to the previous year. However, childcare homes and centers have witnessed an increase in enrollment, resembling pre-pandemic levels. Despite this, only a small portion, approximately 14%, of eligible children under six in Texas are served by the Texas Statewide System.
The Texas Statewide System includes licensed centers, licensed homes, registered homes, and military providers while excluding relative care providers and listed home providers. This indicates that many children in Texas who could benefit from quality childcare services are not adequately served.
So, what’s being done to combat the issue?
KPRC 2 Investigative Digital Specialist Ninfa Saavedra spoke with Stacy Knight, a program director for early childhood initiatives with the YMCA, who discussed how the YMCA of Houston is helping combat child deserts in the area.
“A child care desert is somewhere that the demand for child care is three times greater than the supply or the number of seats available. So, currently, we have about one-third of all zip codes in the greater Houston area that are experiencing these childcare deserts,” Knight explained.
To help parents, the YMCA provides programs for children starting as early as six weeks to high school, offering before and after school programs, and summer and holiday camps.
One of the programs Knight said was near and dear to her heart was the early childcare centers, which provide care for children aged six weeks to five years old.
“We have 11 early care centers across the city that provide care for children aged six weeks to five years, and our activities are specifically designed to meet students at their developmental stages, wherever they are, whether it’s infants, toddlers, or preschoolers. We have something for them,” she added.
After learning about the disadvantages most parents are facing, especially those of babies and toddlers, Knight said the YMCA partnered with Harris County and Children at Risk to promote their new network, the Early Learning Quality Network.
“This is a program that’s designed to increase access to early child care in Harris County, in the specific child care deserts. So, the YMCA is working with three other local network organizations and Children at Risk, to promote community engagement,” Knight said. “We’re really inviting the community to come out and share their opinions, their needs, and their preferences for early care, and ultimately, the committee. The community is going to form advisory committees to help Harris County decide where to allocate these funds specifically for quality early childcare.”
Knight said the community will be heavily involved in how the the funds are spent. They will be asked to conduct surveys, attend lessening sessions, and join focus groups.
“This is a county-wide initiative. We’re inviting the community to come out and share their opinions and their preferences. We would really urge individuals to reach out to Children at Risk or to reach out to the Harris County Early Childhood Initiatives team so they can learn how they can be a part of the network and participate in increasing access to early childcare,” Knight said.
For busy parents who are constantly on the go and struggling to find a childcare center nearby and affordable, Knight says the YMCA of Greater Houston has 22 locations and offers activities ranging from sports to day and night camps.
“Financial assistance is available. I would encourage families to reach out to their local YMCA to discuss how they could apply for financial assistance because the YMCA is committed to providing services to anyone who wants to participate,” Knight said. “I would say to parents that if they can’t afford it, don’t be discouraged by the prices that you see online, because chances are when you go into your center, you will qualify for financial assistance and we will have a place for you where you can afford it.”
Need more resources for childcare assistance, check these out:
Texas Childcare Financial Assistance
Workforce Solutions Childcare Assistance