Continuing economic concerns and long-term unemployment are leading parents to try creative solutions for child care. Flexible work scheduling, local resources and ìlatchkeyî self-care for older children are some of the ways parents are coping.According to the Colorado Department of Human Services, there are 20 home-based child care providers and one day care center in Falcon, Colo. Historical data for closed providers is not available, but Barb Gilbert of Pikes Peak Region Family Child Care Association said the number of licensed care providers is dramatically down in recent years.ìYears ago, the number of licensed providers in the region was in the 700s, now it’s in the 400s,î Gilbert said. ìAnd there are fewer openings, too. I talk at the pre-licensing classes, and there’s maybe eight per class, compared to 20 each a few years ago.îLicensed providers are witnessing diminished profits, forcing them out of the industry and discouraging new providers from starting, Gilbert said. ìThe reason there are so few is they can’t stay full,î she said. ìOne provider at our meeting announced she was having a yard sale to get rid of all her supplies because low enrollment was making her try to find a regular job.îAbout 36,000 people in Colorado left the labor force in the last six months of 2013, according to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. Long-term unemployed individuals might be choosing to care for children at home, Gilbert said. Underemployment and part-time employment also allows parents to alternate caring for their children. ìConcern over the Affordable Care Act caused a lot of cuts in full-time employees,î Gilbert said. ìIf both parents are going part-time, they are changing their hours so one of them is home to watch the kids.îCo-operative solutions among parents in a neighborhood are becoming common, Gilbert said. Neighbors are helping each other by taking turns, when they have a day off work, watching othersí kids. If they are doing so without charge, there is no requirement for state licensing.Child Watch programs like the Meridian Ranch YMCA’s program are becoming more popular as respite care for parents who are with their children all day and need a break. Child Watch at Meridian Ranch is near maximum capacity, said Marti Wallner, senior director. ìWe’ve been turning people away, so you should try to come early,î she said.The program is open to Meridian Ranch residents and non-residents attending fitness classes. ìWe get inspected by the state once a year, and all our employees are finger printed and background checked,î Wallner said. ìHowever, we’re not really child care in the traditional sense. Parents can’t leave the recreation center while their children are here, and there is a maximum of two hours of care per day.î Wallner said she is seeing new stay-at-home parents use the service to encourage their childís social development. And, mom or dad can take a couple hours to exercise or read or whatever, as long as they remain at the center.Pastor Pat Jeffrey of Grace Community Church said they have about a dozen children who use the church’s supervised nursery area during services, but they have also opened the church to children for weekly Bible study groups. ìWe do background checks for everyone who works with the children,î Jeffrey said. ìWe’re not commercial and we don’t charge, but even as a nonprofit we need to do checks on everyone.îGilbert said the licensed provider organization would prefer parents use those providers, but she also understands the economics. ìParents are very resourceful because they have to be,î Gilbert said. ìSomething’s got to give. If they can’t afford it, they can’t afford it.î
