Organization helps working parents find licensed child care
Q&A WITH CARRIE WILLIAMS
How do employees' child care challenges impact their employers?
When employees face difficulties finding reliable care for their children, their work attendance can suffer. According to a 2017 report from Child Care Aware, 45 percent of parents are absent from work at least once due to a breakdown in child care over a six-month period. According to the same report, 65 percent of parents' work schedules are impacted an average ofseven and a half times over a sixmonth period due to child care challenges. Employee absenteeism due to child care issues, the report says, costs American businesses about $4.4 billion each year.
What services does Rainbow Fleet offer to help families find child care?
Rainbow Fleet offers a free, statewide child care referral service to help parents locate child care options in their area. While we don't recommend child care providers, we can help parents and caregivers locate licensed providers in any particular area. Our referral specialists are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at 800438-0008. Parents can also search for child care providers online, and in Spanish, on our website, www.rainbowfleet.org.
Why is licensed child care so important?
Oklahoma has regulations that require most types of child care to have a license. Anyone caring for one or more unrelated children on a regular basis must have approval from the state to operate and must meet specific requirements. A license does not ensure quality, but it does set minimum health, safety and caregiver training requirements. The goal of regulation is to work in partnership with parents to protect the safety and wellbeing of children while in out-of-home care.
How many children in Oklahoma can use child care on a regular basis?
The most recent data from Oklahoma Department of Human Services shows that Oklahoma has the capacity to care for 121,627 children in child care facilities across our state.
Are there any services to help families manage the costs of child care while they are at work?
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services operates a child care subsidy program to assist qualified families. For more information, visit okdhs. org.