Access to quality child care is important for the success and growth of our entire community. Child care supports working families, helps local businesses maintain a reliable workforce, supports school enrollment, and encourages families to live and stay in the Harris-Lake Park area.

The Harris-Lake Park Child Care Steering Committee was formed to better understand local child care needs, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop long-term strategies that support families, providers, and the community as a whole.

A child care gap happens when there are not enough child care openings available to meet the needs of local families.

The recent Child Care Market Analysis completed with First Children’s Finance identified a need for additional child care options and expanded capacity in the Harris-Lake Park area. The goal of this initiative is to explore solutions that increase access to quality child care and support long-term community growth.

This initiative is community-driven and includes collaboration between local families, child care providers, the school district, community organizations, businesses, city leadership, and volunteers.

The effort is being supported through a Child Care Steering Committee working alongside First Children’s Finance to help identify priorities, resources, and future opportunities for child care in the Harris-Lake Park area.

The Child Care Steering Committee is a local group working to support and strengthen child care opportunities within the Harris-Lake Park area. The committee helps guide planning efforts, community engagement, awareness campaigns, and future opportunities related to child care and family support.

Child care impacts more than just families with young children. Reliable child care helps businesses maintain a stable workforce, supports local economic growth, encourages family retention, supports school enrollment, and strengthens the long-term future of the community.

The goals of this initiative include increasing public awareness, supporting providers, improving access to information and resources, exploring opportunities for expanded child care services, and strengthening partnerships throughout the community.

The community currently offers a variety of child care options including in-home providers, preschool programs, and school-age care opportunities. A provider directory and updated resource list will be available on the initiative website.

Families are encouraged to contact local providers directly and utilize Iowa Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) and Child Care Connect resources for updated openings and availability information.

Yes. Families may qualify for state assistance programs, preschool scholarships, and other child care support opportunities. Additional information and resource links will be available on the website resource page.

Local providers may offer care for infants, toddlers, preschool-aged children, and school-age youth. Available ages and program details will vary by provider.

The community is actively exploring opportunities to expand child care capacity and strengthen available services. Long-term planning efforts are currently underway.

Individuals interested in becoming a child care provider can learn more through Iowa Health and Human Services and Child Care Resource & Referral programs. These organizations provide information about registration, licensing, training requirements, and startup support.

Yes. Training programs, scholarships, technical assistance, mentoring, and resource support may be available through Iowa CCR&R, T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Iowa, and other partner organizations.

Yes. The Harris-Lake Park area has identified a need for additional child care capacity and welcomes conversations with individuals interested in providing child care services or expanding existing operations.

Funding opportunities may become available through state programs, grants, partnerships, and community initiatives. The Steering Committee will continue exploring available resources and sharing updates with providers.

The Child Care Town Hall is a community event that will share findings from the Child Care Market Analysis and Strategic Planning process. Community members will have the opportunity to learn more about local needs, future opportunities, and ways to support child care efforts.

The Child Care Town Hall is scheduled for August 18. Additional location and event details will be shared through the City website and social media channels.

Parents, providers, employers, educators, community organizations, and anyone interested in supporting families and strengthening the future of Harris-Lake Park are encouraged to attend.

Businesses can support child care efforts by helping share information, supporting workforce flexibility, partnering on community initiatives, sponsoring events or programs, and encouraging employee participation in surveys and discussions.

Community members can get involved by attending meetings and events, volunteering, participating in surveys, sharing information, supporting providers, and joining community discussions about child care needs and future opportunities.

No. The Harris-Lake Park Child Care Initiative is exploring a variety of opportunities to support child care in the community. This may include supporting existing providers, increasing in-home child care capacity, exploring center-based care opportunities, improving access to information and resources, and strengthening after-school programming options.