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This ain’t as easy as it sounds

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State Representative Andrew Chesney joined more than 2 dozen fellow House Republican legislators in sending a letter on Friday, May 15 to Governor Pritzker urging he increase childcare capacity at daycares in Illinois.

Chesney and his Republican colleagues are concerned that provisions in Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan will lead to massive shortages in daycare access and availability, especially as people return to work in neighboring states. The House GOP members are also asking the Governor to include them and professionals from the private daycare industry in a new childcare task force Pritzker announced was taking shape last week.

* June 11 Daily Herald story…

As Illinois closes in on 130,000 cases of COVID-19, child care providers are urging the state to loosen staffing and capacity restrictions that have prevented them from reopening or expanding services to nonessential workers. […]

However, some providers complain the state placed stricter capacity and staffing guidelines on the industry just as they and other businesses were set to reopen in Phase 3 late last month, forcing many to remain closed. And the grant program may not provide funding quick enough to keep them in business.

“I find it very interesting that we remained open for essential workers for 12 weeks and then the next thing we know as we’re ready to add more children we receive notification that we’ve got even stricter rules than before,” said Casindra Mladenoff, owner of Elmhurst Premier Childcare Center. “They want us to reduce class size and add more staff, which is a little counter productive.”

* CNN today…

At least 1,335 people have tested positive from child care facilities in Texas, the state’s Department of Health and Human Services reported Monday, citing figures from Friday.

Of those infected, 894 were staff members and 441 were children. The cases came from 883 child care facilities that are open in the state, DHHS said.

The new cases mark a significant increase from June 15, when there were 210 reported cases from 177 facilities — including 141 staff members and 69 children. […]

As of Monday, 12,220 child care facilities are open throughout the state.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 6, 20 @ 2:14 pm

Comments

Seems an appropriate time to remember the great contributions of Maria Whelan to child care in Illinois and how big of a loss her passing is.

Comment by Ok Monday, Jul 6, 20 @ 2:17 pm
As a parent with kids in daycare, I’ll say it’s also “interesting” how many owner/operators have gotten on their soapbox about their businesses and the impacts that mean JB is having, but haven’t had time to address the Health and safety concerns of the parents and children they serve.

Comment by Bob Loblaw Monday, Jul 6, 20 @ 2:27 pm
Oh sure, let’s get the covid19 petri dishes cooking. /s

Comment by Huh? Monday, Jul 6, 20 @ 2:28 pm
There are good reasons the Governor’s office is walking in COVID recovery rather than running.

Texas ran, tripped, and fell hard. As did quite a few others. They’ve learned some hard lessons that we should make sure we follow.

Comment by Linus Monday, Jul 6, 20 @ 2:39 pm
For all the talk about the risks of increasing capacity, you still have to have a place to send your kid if you are in work, especially if schools are letting out early or if kids are not going every day. The alternative is leaving kids by themselves, which is dangerous and illegal. Or in some cases maybe with grandparents, who are at risk.

Comment by AndyIllini Monday, Jul 6, 20 @ 2:53 pm
Childcare is a sticky wicket for sure. Still wondering how working parents will be expected to manage if school is all or even partly online in the fall…

Comment by LakeCo Monday, Jul 6, 20 @ 3:00 pm
Over 300 children catch COVID-19 in Texas daycares
By Nick Barrickman
6 July 2020
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/07/06/kids-j06.html

Comment by Mama Monday, Jul 6, 20 @ 3:46 pm
I don’t know what his deal is on this issue, but someone on staff needs to remind JB that childless millennials do not make up the majority of Illinois’ workforce. They’ve done excellent work on all other aspects of this since March, but they’re still completely failing to address reopening options for parents. Maybe incentivize (or outright fund) the opening of new home daycares? Idk what the answer is here, but they need a better plan. And they need it sooner rather than later, since schools are only going allow kids to come two or three days per week this fall.

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Monday, Jul 6, 20 @ 3:46 pm
The childcare issue is huge and it is not being talked about enough. The economy cannot recover without safe, reliable childcare. This is a major issue that must be addressed, and soon - before schools open in the fall. You simply cannot raise children at home while working. Both of those things are a full-time endeavor, and working parents are at their wits’ ends already.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/02/business/covid-economy-parents-kids-career-homeschooling.html

Comment by Notorious RBG Monday, Jul 6, 20 @ 3:53 pm
Who is preventing these providers from hiring additional staff and acquiring additional space?

No one, not even JB Pritzker?

Oh, okay.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, Jul 6, 20 @ 11:13 pm
=Who is preventing these providers from hiring additional staff and acquiring additional space?

No one, not even JB Pritzker?

Oh, okay.=

I’m guessing neither of us are privy to many day care provider’s financials, but until they do that en masse I need somewhere to send my kids.

Comment by AndyIllini Tuesday, Jul 7, 20 @ 8:00 am
Hey Yellow Dog, there is a little thing call money that these businesses probably aren’t swimming in that hampers their ability hire more and expand.

There is not enough data to really get enough information to make a thorough scientific assessment. Did the staff bring it in and infect the children? Is the infection spreading from contact within the facilities or are the infections happening elsewhere and because they are testing at daycares they are finding the cases. Do the children get infected by adults or by other children. There is still not enough scientific proof that show children to be spreaders of Covid. It would seem that if the spread was happening in the childcare centers that the number for children infected would be higher than that of staff. But not enough information as to whether everyone is being tested or only ones with symptoms.

Comment by Arock Tuesday, Jul 7, 20 @ 9:12 am