Childcare recruitment event to be held

COAD4kids is planning a childcare provider recruitment event on Thursday, Aug. 10 from 1-2 p.m.

The event is designed for people interested in starting a daycare facility to get more information. The childcare provider recruitment event will be held at OhioMeansJobs Tuscarawas County inside Monroe Center, 1260 Monroe St. NW, Suite 35, New Philadelphia.

“It’s a serious workforce issue in Tuscarawas County,” Lara Schwartz of COAD4kids said. “It’s a big county with a lot of working families, and the lack of available childcare is a major concern for businesses here. It’s a big problem.”

Schwartz and COAD4kids staff have been actively seeking people who are interested in a career in childcare.

“We’re actually doing a great job with marketing,” she said. “We’re getting a lot of calls, a lot of interest, going to events and getting out into the community. We have about five people we’re talking to right now that are starting the process. Of the many calls we get expressing interest, only a few actually end up following through. But we are doing all we can to let people know how to get started and all the help that is available for them.”

That help is significant, from the start of the process to the first day in business.

“If you question why someone would want to start a childcare facility,” Schwartz said, “the answer is the need is great. We can show just how many families are searching for childcare and reassure them that they are going to be quite busy.”

Getting started with opening a childcare facility should begin sooner rather than later, Schwartz said.

“They should start soon, as in getting going within this calendar year, ideally. We can help with funding for a computer, printer, a Pack-N-Play and other things. There is funding from several sources available to help you out. We want to remove perceived barriers in any way we can,” Schwartz said.

COAD4kids partners with the county small business development center to help with the business side of starting a small childcare operation.

Mindy Von Kaenel is childcare business support coordinator for COAD4kids, with the task of helping people through the process of getting started in their new career.

“They’ll have plenty of assistance up front,” she said, “but also as they move on and are up and running, there’s plenty of support available.”

“It’s a way for you to work from home, earn income and be successful in a new career in the childcare business. It truly is a business, and there are tax advantages, deductions and other incentives out there,” Schwartz said.

A care provider can be a small operation using a person’s home, or with some certifications, one can open a full-service childcare center. Either way, Von Kaenel said there’s plenty of help available including with training and certifications.

At the recruitment event, interested applicants can get information without any pressure to follow up. Schwartz said register for the event via the COAD4kids Facebook page. “Just so we have some kind of idea of how many are coming. We won’t turn anyone away who just drops by either.”

Call COAD4kids at 330-364-8882 or visit www.coadinc.org.