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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: November 14, 2006 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. i~ ~'~; <br />SUBJECT: Final Report of the Child Care Task Force <br />DEPARTMENT: Social Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Child Care Task. Force Report Nancy Coston, 245-2800 <br />PURPOSE: ~To present the report of the Child Care Task Force to the Board of <br />Commissioners. <br />BACKGROUND: In March 2006 the Board of County Commissioners appointed a Child Care <br />Task Force to address specific issues that had been identified at various community meetings <br />earlier in the year. The Task Force was to complete its assignments and then report back to <br />the Board of County Commissioners with its recommendations. Commissioner Foushee agreed <br />to chair this effort and the charge given to the task force included: <br />• To create community awareness of and support for the benefits of early childhood <br />education <br />• 'To increase private, business and public financial contributions for child care subsidies or <br />scholarships <br />• To improve workplace support for children and families <br />The task force met numerous times and also utilized special sessions to gather input from <br />consumers and providers. Also, a subcommittee organized with the help of the two chambers of <br />commerce focused on employer issues and the discussions of this subcommittee were critical <br />to the success of the task force. <br />The report summarizes the current status of the subsidy programs ,in Orange County and <br />provides information on some options for partnership among providers, funding organizations <br />and employers so as to enhance the available resources to serve all families. There was <br />consensus on many issues including the need to acquire more funds for subsidy to assure that <br />families can receive assistance in a timely manner. Last year a number of factors had resulted <br />in persons being on the waiting list for over a year and all task force members found this to be <br />unacceptable. There was considerable discussion about the need to provide affordable care to <br />