By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Child care and early education advocates asked the Assembly Tuesday to consider the continuing need for more child care resources in Sitka.
“We are here to advocate for... child care accessibility as a key piece of our community,” said Tori Hay, one of three who spoke on the subject at the Assembly meeting under Persons to Be Heard.
“Infrastructure, families and sustainable growth for Sitka are in the balance,” she said.
Hay is an occupational therapist and family service coordinator with the early learning program at Center for Community. Other speakers were Lisa Hodges, a CFC infant mental health specialist, and parent Lauren Wild.
All three are members of the Sitka Early Childhood Coalition. One of the speakers said the local child care situation is “critical and must be addressed.”
“So often families are forced to consider other options such as not returning to work, or working much less than they would prefer,” said Hay. “In some cases, families have just left town because they can’t find accessible and affordable childcare.”
“Our economy is suffering because of it; lack of options are driving parents and teachers out of the workforce,” Wild said. “The impact on our economy is measurable.”
She said the U.S. Chamber Foundation estimates that Alaska loses $165 million in revenue a year because of inadequate child care services. A recent Slate magazine survey said 40 percent of Alaskans reported someone in their household left or declined to take a job in the past year because of child care challenges.
“Citizens have been working diligently to address the child care shortage in the community,” she said. “Local efforts are ongoing to establish clear pathways for child care, staff credentialing and retention ...”
Wild said later that the main goals of the advocacy group are to:
– help the workforce by raising wages and providing benefits to teachers and professionals in the early childhood education and child care industry.
– promote career pathways and workforce development for the early childhood education.
– increase early intervention programs to support children at younger ages who need additional support from the early childhood development and education programs.
Hodges stressed the importance of child care and education in the first years of a child’s life, and the need for the community to invest.
“The first five years of a child’s life are the most critical years of brain development,” she said. “When a child has safe and secure attachment figures from birth, and have stimulating care environments, they’re more likely to thrive. But on the flip side when children do not have consistent care-giving relationships or environments their social-emotional development will be impacted.”
Hodges said there is a need for a shift in thinking about childcare and early education.
“We all need to place value in early child care providers not as babysitters but persons who are directly shaping our young children’s brain architecture,” she said. “Early experiences matter. The more positive relationships a child has with adults and peers, the more resilient they will be in life; families who have access to child care will have the concrete support needed to sustain their employment and raise their families to the best of their potential.”
The speakers said they and community partners are looking for solutions, and plan to continue keeping the Assembly apprised.
They said Sitka’s current licensed providers can cover about 7 percent of the infants ages birth through 18 months, and 12 percent of toddlers, 18 months to 3 years.
Wild said today that Sitka’s statistics appear to be below the state average. Alaska has available childcare slots for 29 percent of children up to age 4, according to the Childcare Coalition of Alaska.
The Sitka Early Childhood Coalition meets once a week, 10 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays via Zoom.
Child care was one of at least eight topics addressed by various speakers under Persons to Be Heard at the Tuesday Assembly meeting. Other issues were taxi regulations, a tourism survey, the economic summit to be held next week, ATVs, the Sitka Community Land Trust, oil prices and the economy, and the Sawmill Creek Road crosswalk proposed near the Alaska Raptor Center.
The comments lasted about half an hour, with each speaker allowed three minutes.
