(11/2023) Accessing affordable, high quality, and convenient childcare was challenging before the COVID-19 pandemic. It has become even more so today. Industries are coming back, and many workers are heading back to office buildings. However, childcare options are not keeping pace with the needs of working families in Frederick County. To effectively address this issue, county and state legislators must work together, each making the most of their available tools.
Last month the County Council unanimously passed a bill to allow for a childcare center or nursery school to operate in areas zoned Office/Research Industrial (ORI). Many office building complexes fall into this category. While this bill was developed to help a constituent open a daycare center near an office complex, the newly approved use in this zoning will hopefully encourage more daycare providers to open a business near areas with jobs nearby. For some families, this model of daycare near a household member’s job is the most desirable. For other families, the neighborhood or homebased daycare situation is preferable. If a resident is commuting from Myersville to Germantown, for example, dropping children off early in the morning with a daycare provider in their neighborhood may be the most convenient option.
Someone wanting to start a homebased daycare business will face some start up costs. The cost of taking classes for certification is one initial cost. Another cost is possible home improvements to create a childcare area within their home. I have introduced a bill to offer a county property tax credit for improvement done to a property where part of the home is used exclusively for a daycare center operation. The applicant must be operating a registered and licensed childcare facility in their home in Frederick County. This credit would apply for home improvements, and not for other childcare center items like furniture, craft supplies, or computer equipment.
Assistance with home improvement could be a significant and deciding factor in a resident’s decision to start a homebased childcare business. Many people don’t have $2,000 to $3,000 to set up a homebased childcare business, especially after paying for certification classes. If Frederick County can help to increase the number of homebased childcare businesses, that can mean less stress for working families in Frederick County, and better educational outcomes for our kids.
In addition to these ideas coming from the County Council to improve childcare access, the Frederick County Office for Children and Families is conducting a market study to understand the local supply and demand for daycare services. In addition to survey data, the first of three information and input sessions was held last month. That session featured Childcare Providers. There will be two more sessions before the end of the year. On Wednesday, November 15 from 7 to 8:15 p.m., the session will be held for families to share their ideas and experiences.
On Wednesday, December 6 from 8 to 9:15 a.m., the session will focus on Employers. Both of the upcoming sessions will be held virtually, and registration in advance is required. If you would like registration information, you can contact me at rknapp@frederickcountymd.gov or the Frederick County Office for Children and Families at www.frederickcountymd.gov/OFC.
The results of this study will be used to identify more opportunities to provide solutions for Frederick County families to access affordable, convenient, and high-quality childcare services.
If you have childcare ideas or experiences to share, please feel free to contact me with them. I would like to hear them as I continue to work on this issue in the future.
Have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!
