NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Heather Faulkner from the Reno County Child Care Task Force gave a brief update to the Board of County Commissioners at their meeting on Wednesday.
"We had projected to open eleven new facilities, which would result in 417 child care slots," Faulkner said. "Seven of those are up and running as we speak. We have two more that will be fully operational by the end of the year and then two more in 2025. We have had some additional costs in each of those partners. One of our locations was unable to go ahead and open. They are ready, but they hit some issues with fire code that changed back in 2006 that will result in $127,000 cost to that provider, to be able to increase their 58 slots. Even though we've hit some blocks, we've had some other real great successes. USD 312 was our first one to open last school year with 38 slots. They expanded this year with a partnership with Early Education Center, which services a lot of our special needs and disability children around the community. They have 125 slots now open in two locations now at Haven."
In addition to the larger facility slots, there has been a 20% increase in home care slots since the task force began its work.
"What we were able to do with our partnership with BowerComm is, you now can go to renocountychildcare.com, any parent, provider, business owner, or just community member can get, in real time, all of the providers," Faulkner said. "If you're looking for infant care, there's qualifiers, if you are looking for after school care. They've been a really great partnership to get people access to care as quickly as we possibly can."
There will be a slight change of time line for the start of the new umbrella organization for child care in the county.
"We told you the last time we were here, we were going to be up and operational," Faulkner said. Our target date was January 1, 2025. We have had to push that back to June 2025. There's still lots of work being done around that umbrella organization, we want to make sure we do it right and at the right dollar and price point."
The Reno County Child Care Task Force remains committed to building a future where every child has access to high-quality childcare, and every family has the support they need to thrive.