IT'S TIME FOR NURSES TO SAY
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
>> WE TURN NOW FROM HEALTH CARE
TO CHILD CARE.
MONDAY WAS A DAY WITHOUT CHILD
CARE.
IN WHICH ACTIVISTS ASKED CHILD
CARE CENTERS TO CLOSE FOR A DAY
TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE NEED
FOR INCREASED WAGES AND MORE
AFFORDABLE OPTIONS FOR PARENTS.
WE ARE JOINED BY TRACY JENSEN,
PROGRAM DIRECTOR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON
TODAY.
>> Zac: THE APPARENT IRONY OF
YOUR PARTICIPATION IN A DAY
WITHOUT CHILD CARE, YOU FELT YOU
COULDN'T AFFORD TO CLOSE FOR THE
DAY.
BOTH FOR YOU AND YOUR PARENTS.
IS THAT ACCURATE?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
WITH HAVING COVID THESE LAST
COUPLE OF YEARS, ASKING OUR
PARENTS TO NOT BE ABLE TO BE
OPEN FOR CHILD CARE WE THOUGHT
WAS A LITTLE BIT MUCH.
HAVING TO QUARANTINE OUR
CLASSROOMS, WE HAVE BEEN ASKING
PARENTS TO COME PICK UP THEIR
CHILDREN.
WE FELT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYMORE
DAYS TO TAKE OFF FROM WORK.
AS A COMMUNITY, WE DECIDED THAT
WE WERE GOING TO KEEP OUR DOORS
OPEN.
>> Zac: SO, WHAT DID YOU ASK
YOUR FAMILIES TO DO IN LIEU OF
ACTUALLY TAKING THE DAY OFF?
HOW DID THEY TRY TO PARTICIPATE
IN THIS DAY?
>> SO, WE DID A HASH TAG DAY
WITHOUT CHILD CARE.
PARENTS WERE ABLE TO COMMENT IN
WHAT THEY WOULD DO IF THERE WAS
NO CHILD CARE AT ALL.
WE ALSO HAD PARTICIPANTS COME IS
COME -- PARENTS COME IN AND HAVE
DISCUSSIONS WITH STAFF ABOUT
MILD CARE AND QUALITY CARE.
WE HAD THEM -- THEY BROUGHT AN
AWARENESS TO CHILD CARE AND WHAT
IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
>> Zac: IT SEEMS LIKE THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC BROUGHT A NEW
APPRECIATION FOR CHILD CARE
PROVIDERS, BUT DID IT BRING IN
ENOUGH NEW DOLLARS TO ACTUALLY
SUPPORT EVERYONE?
>> THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
WE ARE VERY THANKFUL, WE DID GET
FEDERAL FUNDING.
AND WE ARE INVESTIGA INVESTING T
WE CAN TO KEEP OURSELVES AFLOAT.
BUT WE ARE DEFINITELY CONCERNED
ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND
RETENTION AND BEING ABLE TO KEEP
OUR EMPLOYEES, AS WELL AS,
GAINING NEW EMPLOYEES.
>> Zac: NOW, IN THEORY, THE
LAWS OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND SHOULD
DICTATE THE COST AND
AVAILABILITY OF CHILD CARE.
AND PERHAPS, IT DOES FOR FOR
WEALTHY FAMILIES.
HOW DOES THAT GET DISRUPTED WHEN
A CHILD CARE FA CENTER IS SERVIA
WORKING-CLASS POPULATION?
>> AS FAR AS EQUALITY?
>> Zac: YEAH YOUR ABILITY TO
PROVIDE FOR FAIR WAGES.
DOES THAT WORK IN A PLACE LIKE
ACA?
>> IT DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY FOR
US.
>> SO, WHAT ARE YOU ABLE TO DO?
HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHAT RATES
YOU CAN SET?
HOW MUCH YOUR FAMILIES CAN
AFFORD TO PAY?
>> SO, WE HAVE A LOT OF BLUE
COLLAR WORKERS THAT HAVE THEIR
CHILDREN HERE AT SUNNY DAY.
SO, THAT KIND OF DETERMINES HOW
THE COST IS.
>> Zac: AND WHAT ROLE DO YOU
SERVE IN THAT REGARD?
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, IT'S A
SERVICE FOR THEM TO BRING THE
CHILDREN THERE.
IF YOU WEREN'T THERE, WOULD
THERE BE OTHER PROVIDERS THAT
WOULD POP UP?
YOU ARE A PRETTY LARGE FACILITY;
RIGHT?
>> WE ARE A LARGE FACILITY.
BUT WE ARE ALSO IN THE
DESPERATE.
WE HAVE QUITE A FEW FAMILIES ON
A WAITING LIST HERE.
I THINK RIGHT NOW WE ARE
LICENSED FOR 220 CHILDREN.
AND I THINK WE HAVE OVER 100
CHILDREN, 100 FAMILIES ON A
WAITING LIST RIGHT NOW.
>> Zac: OKAY.
>> SO, THERE DEFINITELY IS THE
NEED FOR IT.
>> Zac: WHAT ROLE DOES THE
GOVERNMENT HAVE TO PLAY IN THIS?
DO THEY HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE
WAY OR SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT BE
GETTING MORE INVOLVED?
>> SORRY, ARE YOU ASKING SHOULD
THE GOVERNMENT BE MORE INVOLVED?
>> Zac: YES, WOULD YOU LIKE THE
GOVERNMENT TO BE MORE INVOLVED
TO HELP WITH THIS OR SHOULD THEY
GET OUT OF THE WAY?
THERE THERE TOO MANY REGULAT
REGULATIONS?
>> SO, WE DO HAVE -- WE HAVE
WISCONSIN SHARES.
WHICH HELPS SUPPLEMENT FOR SOME
OF THE PARENTS HAVING THEIR
CHILDREN HERE.
BUT WE REALLY NEED HELP FOR
EVERYONE OVERALL, FOR COST OF
CHILD CARE.
>> Zac: TRACY JENSEN AT SUNNY
DAY CHILD CARE AND PRESCHOOL,
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.