DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — "We are one of three licensed childcare facilities in Door County, so we are in a childcare desert," said Alexis Fuller.
Fuller is the Executive Director of the Door County Child Development Center and she says they know about the lack of child care options all too well.
A childcare desert is defined by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families as "Any census tract with more than 50 children under age 5 that contains either no childcare providers or so few options that there are more than three times as many children as licensed childcare slots."
The Door County Child Development Center says they've had a steady wait-list since they opened their doors in 2020, of 100 children. Many of these children are infants or 1-year- olds.
"Having so many younger children on the wait-list, it makes it tricky to have a successful sustainable business model," explained Fuller.
Tricky, because of the staffing requirements for certain age groups.
"We lose money, providing childcare for children until they're two and a half because there's one teacher for four infants" said Fuller. "Once they get up to four years old, the ratios are one teacher to 13 children. So, the cost is, is not as high."
There are groups like United Way of Door County which have taken initiative to try and help.
"We have grants available for families to help them offset the cost of some of their childcare as well... and so, we are trying to meet the need both from the provider and from the family standpoint," said Molly Gary, the Childcare Community Coordinator for United Way of Door County.
Besides the high cost of daycare for struggling families, Gary said "the cost of living here is very expensive."
She says it's also not a high-paid profession, making it tough for workers to survive.
"So, we have 335 known positions, including from our unlicensed all the way through our licensed childcare positions — at this point that leaves 750 children with an unknown source of care," said Gary.
But there are ways people can help, she said.
"I would also encourage people to call their legislators and their senators to let them know that they want them to support the funding in the state budget for childcare," said Gary.
