Rewers Encourages City Council to Get Involved in Addressing Need for Child Care

Crisis Nursery of Effingham County Director Meghan Rewers addressed the Effingham City Council Tuesday night, asking for their help in addressing the need for child care in the community.

Rewers said, "Our child care system is crumbling before our eyes." She said before COVID-19, the situation wasn't good. Since the pandemic, she said it's worse. Some who had a slot for their child at a care facility have been turned away because of limits on how many kids can be cared for at a facility; others who have been on a waiting list find themselves waiting far longer than first expected.

Rewers said 13 in-home child care providers have closed in recent years, some due to increased restrictions, some due to better economic opportunities elsewhere. She said one in-home care provider has opened in 13 years, and no centers. 

Crisis Nursery is as it's name indicates; a place for care to be provided during time of a crisis, not for the long term. Rewers, though, said, "I feel it's my responsibility to make the issue known."

Rewers asked the Council to consider these possibilities: 

--use tax dollars to support the currently operating day care centers

--develop incentives for businesses to create child care opportunities at their establishments

--help child care centers gain access to health insurance (which Rewers said is a key reason many employees leave)

--designate Tax Increment Financing district dollars to open a licensed child care facility

In response, Mayor Mike Schutzbach said the City could look at incentives or lead cheers for the private sector to address the situation. Commissioner Hank Stephens asked Rewers to let the Council know if she's aware of what's working in other communities so Effingham could pursue those initiatives.