AUSTIN (KXAN) — With children home from school and those fighting COVID-19 on the frontlines working in overdrive, Austin-Travis County is seeing more demand for child care than it can keep up with, experts say.
Statewide, the Department of Health and Human Services says 2,400 child care operations have reported closures due to COVID-19. That’s about 14% of facilities statewide.
Cathy McHorse, who’s the vice president of United Way of Greater Austin’s Success by 6 Coalition, says child care is an essential service that’s often overlooked.
“We don’t have sufficient capacity in our community on the best day to meet all child care needs,” said McHorse. “So, we’re looking at: if the needs continue to grow — especially for our health care workers and other essential workers — what could we use?” McHorse said.
She says out of the nearly 150 child care centers in Travis County that responded to a survey sent out Friday, almost half have shut down.
“Most of them are small businesses that run on slim margins, and they go to H-E-B or other stores just like you and I do. So they’re required to limit their purchasing,” McHorse said. “So we’re trying to source things for them.”
The county is working to to help provide cleaning supplies, along with essentials like diapers and food, so facilities can continue to meet CDC standards, according to McHorse.
She says local leaders are also reaching out to centers that have already shut down.
McHorse says among the questions the task force is asking are: “Could they reopen if needed?” and “Do they have any displaced workers that could be supporting other child care centers if need exists?”
McHorse says on both the state and county level, child care experts are putting together plans to open up temporary child care centers, if needed.
“We’re in conversations with the school district about using facilities. Looking at libraries and parks and rec, but of course, making sure that they’re following licensing guidelines and have staff that have background checks,” she said. “The priority is making sure that children that are in care are being cared for safely and in a healthy way.”
The state’s Department of Health and Human Services, which regulates child care facilities in Texas, asked child care providers that are still open to take some additional measures to keep their facilities safe.
The facilities are being encouraged to do all drop-off and pick-up outside and limit who gets to enter their buildings, requiring screening for anyone who does. They’ve also been asked to stop serving family-style meals.
HHS says it will continue to conduct on-site inspections when it receives serious reports that children’s health, safety or well-being could be at risk.
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