EBS STAFF
Regional nonprofit Greater Gallatin United Way announced a new program Sept. 3 designed to strengthen the region’s child care infrastructure by connecting families, providers and employers.
According to a GGUW press release, child care is “at a breaking point” in Montana, with 61% of families living in a child care desert with more kids than licensed slots, average cost of infant care rivaling in-state college tuition, and nearly 3 in 4 Montana parents missing work due to child care breakdowns. Child Connect will improve access to affordable, high-quality child care, support early learning, help working families stay in the workforce, empower providers and equip employers with tools to support their workforce.
“Innovation paired with community collaboration can reshape how families access child care,” GGUW President and CEO Kim Hall stated in the release. “Child Connect is designed to strengthen the entire system, ensuring families, providers, and employers all have the support and tools they need to succeed.”
The project is supported by the City of Bozeman and Family Forward Montana, a program of Zero to Five, along with community partners committed to expanding access to child care.
The initial phase will center on a collaborative technology platform called Kinside that connects families with real-time child care openings, also helping employers connect employees with care and giving providers tools to reduce administrative tasks and increase visibility, the release stated.
Jackie Ng, director of Gallatin River Child Care which recently expanded from Gallatin Gateway to Big Sky, explained the value of the tool for providers like GRCC.
“It’s so hard to fill spots when families don’t know their options or can’t easily find us,” Ng stated in the release. “Having a system where parents can instantly see what’s available makes all the difference. Child Connect will help providers like me connect with families faster and keep our programs full, which is critical to staying sustainable.”
Parents also shared their appreciation for the service in the GGUW press release, including one Bozeman family’s experience searching for a home-based provider. They said it was difficult to learn simple details such as availability, hours and cost.
“We just started using Child Connect and I am already relieved just to be able to see who is providing child care in Bozeman,” the parents stated. “… Finding the right child care for us went from seeming like winning the lottery to something we can actually accomplish.”
