Day care. One of my own primary complaints, and one that we’ve heard often from clients and those we’ve interviewed, is that in order to get a job when one has children, one must have child care. But in order to obtain and keep child care, one must have a job. It’s a catch-22 situation. A “between a rock and a hard place” setup, and one that we hope to help solve.
For $1 dollar a day (up to 4 hours) or 1 hour of time in work (cleaning, helping the teachers with prep-work, etc.), clients may drop off their children to attend job training, interviews, or other job-seek programs. There is no maximum day, week, or number of months that the clients can utilize this service. Clients must provide proof of activity to participate in this program.
After the job is secure, clients may choose to use another daycare facility. For the first 6 weeks, in order to save up the deposit, first week, or other required fees, employed clients may use our daycare for free. Absolutely free, as long as employment has been verified, attendance is tracked, and a center has been contacted to reserve the child(ren)’s place in care.
Clients who choose employment with LYDIA, Inc.’s Book Lounge and Cafe may receive free daycare (only during the hours they are scheduled to work).
Child care at cost: considering participating in the state’s approved-daycare program. Not certain yet.
Logistics for sickrooms, special needs children, and other issues have not yet been addressed nor resolved.
These are just some of the childcare ideas we’ve come up with at this point. Do you have any suggestions for us?