Agenda - 11-14-2006-7b - Laserfiche WebLink

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a all families, to assure that quality care is provided and to solicit the support from employers for the needs of families. Employers who were involved in the task force were able to discuss their needs for dependable employees and to discuss the role that dependable child care contributes to successful employees. A list of recommendations is included in the report and includes the following: 1. Establish a baseline for subsidy programs so that performance can be measured. Include total subsidy dollars, average length of time on wait list before receiving assistance, and total number of unique funders. 2. Continue to seek additional support for child care subsidies from all county employers. 3. Request that the local chambers of commerce continue work with local businesses and county agencies to educate and include more employers in creative problem solving regarding child care. 4. Explore financial and nonfinancial incentives, including but not limited to tax breaks, special recognition, etc., for employers who assist employees with child care needs. 5. Request that county staff work with schools, developers, UNC, Twin Creeks, Carolina North, Durham Technical Community College and other entities that may be expanding their sites so that child care needs will be considered during new development. 6. Request that county staff work on efforts to educate the public on the value of early child development. . 7. Agencies who provide subsidy money should explore issues of access, including but not limited to common applications. 8. Request that Orange County Government, UNC, Town of Chapel Hill, Town of Carrboro, and other agencies, at a minimum, maintain their current level of support. Some of the recommendations in the report are already being implemented in Orange County. Specifically additional funds have been provided by the state and by the Orange. County Board of County Commissioners for subsidy. Many families from the waiting list will receive subsidy due to these changes. The County has also implemented a model approach of paying back an equivalent amount of funds for any county employees who received subsidy in the previous year. Hopefully this approach will be duplicated by other employers. The issues related to child care and subsidies can be complex and at times it is difficult to assess the impact of the community's efforts to address the problem. Therefore one of the recommendations is that initial benchmark data be developed and that the Social Services Board report annually on the progress as shown in this data. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no immediate and direct financial impact associated with accepting the report. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the BOCC accept the report from the Child Care Task Force, assign'the responsibility for implementing the recommendations to the Social Services Board with help from the County Manager's Office and sunset the Child Care Task Force.