Staffing a big hurdle for scarce rural childcare - Entrepreneur Generations

A story out of rural Illinois neatly encapsulates the hurdles rural areas nationwide face in finding or providing reliable, qualified, affordable childcare, Nat Williams reports for Illinois Farmer Today.

It's difficult for small towns to sustain a childcare center, according to Lori Longueville, director of Child Care Resources and Referrals at John A. Logan College in Carterville. The agency is one of several in the region that focus on childcare needs. "For rural areas the top challenge is to find qualified staff," she told Williams.

Low pay is a big part of the problem there; though lead daycare teachers must have certain qualifications under state law, the pay isn't often enough to justify the time and expense for a daycare to obtain those qualifications, Williams reports. Those with associates degrees are generally more inclined to try for better-paying substitute teacher jobs in the public schools instead.

Ensuring the availability of rural childcare is becoming more important, especially as more farmers and farming spouses seek work off the farm, Williams reports. Some rural communities are considering non-profit options.

from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/3hteeWt Staffing a big hurdle for scarce rural childcare - Entrepreneur Generations

Posted by Entrepreneur Generations

Tweet