Orange County NC Website
i <br />Purchase of Space: The employer arranges to "own" a specified number of spaces in a local chld care <br />program. Parent fees may cover most or all of the cost of any spaces used, but the company typically <br />covers all or a portion of the cost of the unused spaces so that the program can afford to keep the <br />spaces open for the company. <br />Conso~~ium Model.• A number of employers come together on an industrial or geographic basis and <br />pool resources to conduct joint child care projects. Consortium members generally share start-up <br />costs and in return receive priority enrollment for their employees' chldren. <br />Sometimes a specific number of slots are set aside for each company. Operating costs, however, are <br />usually funded tlzrough a combination of parent fees and contributions from the employers. Member <br />corporations may choose to subsidize their employees' fees through a voucher or reimbursement <br />program (see first option). <br />On-Site or Off-Site Center An on-site or off-site center sponsored by an employer at the work site or at <br />another location. The center can be operated by the employer or by a nonprofit or for-profit child <br />care provider. Employers usually pay all start-up costs; any operating losses that occur in the early <br />stages of the center before it is fully enrolled; and some portion of the ongoing operational expenses. <br />Parent fees cover the balance of the center's operating expenses. <br />CURRENT PRACTICES <br />There are currently several Orange County employers that have established child care support for <br />their employees and/or are doing innovative tlings to provide additional money for chid care in the <br />county. <br />Subsidy KeimbursemeJZt.• <br />Employers can pay back in to the subsidy system for subsidy dollars used by their employees. <br />Orange County Government currently participates is this program and is helping to free up <br />subsidy dollars for other families. . <br />On-Site Child Care: <br />Employers run centers on-site for their employees, often at a reduced rate. <br />Carol Woods has an on-site five star center that is run by the YMCA. The center accepts age eligible <br />children of employees and is subsidized at a rate of X225/month for Carol Woods' employees. There <br />is no cost for children of YMCA employees to attend the center. The Center is also open to non- <br />Carol Woods affiliated children between the ages of tliree and five at a regular rate. <br />LTNC and UNC Health operate Victory Village, a child care center that serves students and <br />employees of the university and the hospital. Tlis particular center does not subsidize employees <br />and students because of the scholarship program offered by UNC. <br />SAS, Inc. aCary-based corporation partnered with Bright Horizons to run its two on-site child care <br />centers, and two near-site centers. The day-to-day operations are managed by Bright Horizons, a <br />child care center. SAS subsidizes the cost of child care in the centers for its employees, so drat they <br />play a flat rate of X300 a month. <br />Also partnering with Bright Horizons in the State of North Carolina are GlaxoSmitlzK7ine, Blue <br />Cross/Blue Shield, IBM, Duke University, and Wachovia. <br />7 <br />