Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, child care on the Central Coast was hard to find, and the pandemic has only made this situation worse. According to the California Budget & Policy Center, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 30% of jobs in the child care industry have disappeared. It is not only parents who are experiencing these effects, but also businesses, as employers continue to struggle to find employees to fill vacancies. This should come as no surprise, as a recently released study by Cuesta College found that nearly 1,400 parents in SLO County are unable to work due to family obligations. So what can be done to help with the childcare shortage?
Join host Kris Kington-Barker as she speaks with guests Lauren Thorne, Director of Early Learning and Educational Support at San Luis Obispo County Office of Education (SLOCOE), Raechelle Bowlay, Coordinator and Quality Early Learning Manager of the San Luis Obispo Child Care Planning Council, and Jim Dantona, president and CEO of the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce. They will discuss the current state of the child care crisis in San Luis Obispo County, and the efforts and assistance needed to ease the strain on families, providers and businesses.
You are invited to listen, learn and participate in the conversation, between 13:00-14:00. Call in and be part of the discussion at (805) 549-8855 or email questions to voices@kcbx.org.
Air Date: 26/5/22
Central Coast Voices is sponsored by ACTION for Healthy Communities in association with KCBX.
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