A New Website Helps Iowans Find Child Care in Their Area

For all the parents in Iowa who have a hard time finding quality child care, let alone providers with openings, there is some relief along with a streamlined process to help you hire a quality caregiver.

Governor Kim Reynolds has announced the launch of a website to help parents seek out child care throughout the state of Iowa. The website, Iowa Child Care Connect, is the first-of-its-kind in the country, and it harbors a singular goal: help parents find child care availability that is near where they live.

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Governor Reynolds called the website "game-changing" in a press conference on Thursday, August 22nd:

Using Iowa’s Child Care Connect, Iowa parents will be able to locate any open child care spots in their neighborhood or along their route to work-- almost in real time," She added, "This new innovative solution is just one way we are meeting the critical child care needs of working families in our state. Iowa Child Care Connect is a game changer and I am so proud of all the partnership and work that has gone into its creation. - Governor Kim Reynolds via her press conference, per KWWL

When visiting the Iowa Child Care Connect website, users are given several different prompts. They can search for child care in/around their area, view real-time data regarding child care openings by age, or look at a supply/demand dashboard that displays interactive data regarding demands for providers around the state.

Playing around with the "guided search" tab on the website, I was asked a series of questions:

• When am I looking for child care (now or planning for later)?
• How many kids do I have + their ages?
• Would I like a program who is rated in IQ4K?
• Am I look for a provide that accepts Child Care Assistance (CCA)?
• The time specifications for when I need the child care.
• Do I want a home-based caregiver or a formal child care center?
• Do I want the location to be on my route to work or in the general vicinity of my home?
• What is my home address?

I do not have any children, but I was impressed by the easy-to-use website and streamlined process.

Furthermore, the platform can be used for emergency situations as well. First responders can use the site in the event of an emergency in order to make sure children are safe and accounted for.

Not only is this site unique, but the fact that it offers supply and demand data and real-time historical data of child care vacancies could prove to be a model for other states to adopt. KWWL also stated that Iowa Department of Health & Human Services (Iowa HHS) will use the data from the new website to better understand supply and demand trends from local officials, employers, and other entities too.

Check out the Iowa Child Care Connect website here.