HCCDC working to serve families

As families across Western North Carolina struggle to find, and retain, childcare the board at Highlands Community Child Development Center is keeping its eyes focused on the future.

“Providing high-quality childcare is not easy but it’s a vital resource for our community,” HCCDC board vice president Ann Flynn said. “Seeing what has happened in the past few weeks in surrounding counties is devastating. We are very fortunate that HCCDC has always had great community support because we need it now more than ever.”

On Oct. 20, the Southwestern Child Development Commission announced the closure of seven childcare centers across the region. According to a statement from commission executive director Sheila Hoyle, the reason for the closure was due to the centers being unable to remain financially viable due to changes in the state reimbursement rate for the NC Subsidized Child Care Program.

“Funding levels do not support adequately our community providers for the amazing service that they deliver daily to our young families,” Hoyle said. “The cost of childcare is high, very high, and parents can’t pay higher childcare fees. Staff wages are inadequate for the work that our childcare teachers provide… Childcare is the workforce behind the workforce and stable funding policies must be developed.”

While the HCCDC does not rely on state or federal subsidies to provide services, Flynn did note that tuition only covers about 40 percent of the program’s annual budget.

“The rest of the revenue comes in via fundraising, and we do most of that in small chunks, $100 here, $500 there, so it’s a task to make sure we are going to bring in enough money each year,” Flynn said. “Our budget for this year is $1.2 million, which sounds like a big number, but when you look at how that money is spent it’s not exorbitant.”

HCCDC board member Slocum Howland pointed out that the center is integral to Highlands’ economy because it allows young parents to work while their children receive educational benefits.

“There are 42 businesses in Highlands that have at least one employee with a child at our center,” Howland said. “Imagine what would happen if those employees didn’t have childcare available? They would have to quit their jobs or find a job in another town where care was available. With so few options, it’s a real struggle for young families.”

A recent NC Chamber Foundation survey found that 60 percent of parents with children age five or younger have missed work time in the past year due to childcare issues and 32 percent responded that they didn’t pursue job training or educational opportunities due to a lack of childcare.

Howland added that HCCDC’s educational component offers benefits that spending a day with a babysitter or extended family member doesn’t.

“This isn’t getting dropped off at grandma’s house and just hanging out for the day,” Howland said. “HCCDC is a four-star state licensed facility and our teachers are certified. We want them to be loving and compassionate people first, but we also want them to be educators and they do a great job with that.”

In the past year, HCCDC has been working with community partners including the Church of the Incarnation to expand the program’s reach so that more families can benefit. Two classrooms in the first floor of the church have been transformed into rooms that now house four and five year olds.

Despite the added capacity, HCCDC still has an active waiting list.

“That partnership has been an absolute blessing and it’s allowed us to increase how many families we can help by providing childcare to more children,” Flynn said. “We aren’t exaggerating when we say that our program is a community effort. It really does take a lot of people giving their time, their money, and their talents to keep our program running.”

For more information about Highlands Community Child Development Center, visit www.highlandscommunitychildcare.org or call the HCCDC office at 828-526-8905.