Childcare accessibility and affordability in Kentucky have become widely discussed topics. On Friday, Christian County Chamber of Commerce President Taylor Hayes spotlighted a recent study by the Kentucky Chamber that shares childcare obstacles and ways to overcome them.
In a letter, Hayes says the Kentucky Collaborative on Childcare researched childcare issues in the state and crafted a report detailing their findings. The collaborative’s mission is to ensure childcare is an accessible and sustainable resource that supports a higher quality of life, more opportunities, and stronger local economies across the state.
To achieve that goal, the collaborative recommends exploring childcare data gaps; strengthening the Child Care Assistance Program and the Employee Childcare Assistance Partnership; streamlining regulations and licensing for childcare providers; solving workforce challenges in the childcare sector and encouraging the public to be a part of the solution.
Hayes encourages local elected officials, employers and childcare providers to collaborate to explore childcare solutions. The full report is available here.