24-hour child care demand grows as work shortage continues
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - As industry jobs continue to grow in the CSRA, there is a growing need for non-traditional childcare for parents.
The lack of 24-hour childcare in the CSRA not only puts a strain on parents, but the workforce as well.
Emergencies don’t work on a 9 to 5 schedule.
That’s why 911 operators and first responders often work non-traditional hours. This includes late into the evening, weekends or overnights.
While they are taking care of us, someone needs to take care of them, but that’s not always possible.
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“If you had deputies or firefighters that were having to cancel shifts or not work any kind of overtime because they’re having to take care of their child. There’s nothing available, that’s tough for the whole system,” said Augusta 911 Director Daniel Dunlap.
Russell Lahodny, the president and CEO of the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, says there’s a lack of 24-hour child care in the CSRA.
“We need to make sure that we have those opportunities. There might be one or two smaller places that provide that opportunity, and so we need to make sure that we’re covering all our bases,” said Lahodny.
Dunlap says this isn’t a new issue.
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“I can tell you since I started becoming a dispatcher back in 1997. This need has been there since I was in dispatch. So, not only a challenge when it’s someone that you’re working alongside as far as your coworker but also from a leadership and a management level of your staff having that great need,” said Dunlap.
This also puts a major strain on the workforce.
Lahodny said: “What we found is one of the spouses will stay home, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but when we’re talking about a time when we have a workforce shortage, we need to get those people back into the workforce.”
Lahodny says they have put together a childcare roundtable to talk with different facilities and the community about possible resolutions.
Some of these resolutions include a possible overnight center or tax incentives.
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