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Wisconsin child care challenges
Child care centers in Wisconsin are facing enrollment and staffing challenges. Daycare operators are doing what they can to stay afloat.
MILWAUKEE - Child care centers in Wisconsin are facing enrollment and staffing challenges.
For Bianca Velasco, running a daycare is anything but easy.
"It's not an easy job. It's difficult. You have to be at your 100%," Velasco said. "I do breakfast in the morning. I'm the director, administrator, accountant, the floater. I'm helping here and there; everything that I have to do, I do."
Bianca Velasco
Velasco is the director and owner of Like Home Learning Center at 19th and Forest Home Avenue. The daycare faces challenges like low enrollment, staffing shortages and families who are struggling to pay for childcare.
"Right now, I have 24 kids. But as you can see, they're not even here," Velasco said.
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Velasco is now being forced to close down a classroom that is made up of 1 ½ years olds and 2 year olds.
"That's a difficult decision that I have been forced to do. Because of the struggles of not having the numbers, not having the finances. I just can't do it," Velasco said.
Velasco's center makes up one of the 60% of providers in Wisconsin that have closed classrooms due to staffing shortages.
"With that cut in funding, we have seen a skyrocketing in price center base care goes up by 11%, family care is almost up by 14%," said Jeff Pertl, Wisconsin Secretary for the Department of Children and Families.
Jeff Pertl
Officials with Gov. Tony Evers' office told FOX6 News they have submitted a formal request to the Joint Committee on Finance to release the approved $15 million to support child care providers and families in the state for the 2023-2025 biennial budget. The request was denied.
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With four teachers, providers like Velasco are doing their best to hold down the fort.
FOX6 News reached out to the Joint Finance Committee, but officials said they are not commenting at this time.