An increase in child care slots in 2023 was due some increases in child care capacity and opening of child care locations withing the region. Prior to this the area was fairly consistent in the 1500-1600 range. 

Contributing factors:

• Employer-sponsored child care
• State and federal policies that support access to quality early care and education for all families. 

Limiting factors:

• Employee turnover
• School district 3k-4k & wrap around care offerings

Healthy development in the early years (particularly birth to three) provides the building blocks for educational achievement, economic productivity, responsible citizenship, lifelong health, strong communities, and successful parenting of the next generation.” Harvard Center for the Developing Child 

Science shows that positive early childhood experiences can have major short- and long-term effects on cognitive and social-emotional development. Money spent on high-quality early care and education (ECE) is an investment. One dollar spent on high-quality early care and education yields an average return of $4 over time. In circumstances where children are extremely vulnerable, the return can be as high as $13.

Regulated Child Care slots -  the number of children child care programs are allowed to serve per state regulation.  

**These numbers do not take into consideration availability of child care slots based on certain eligibility requirements, or unavailable openings due to staffing shortages.