Amador County - Statistics released by the California Child Care Resource & Referral Network show the supply of child care services falls far short of demand, as detailed in the 2009 California Child Care Portfolio. Based on data collected from all 58 counties over the course of 2008, the report reveals that licensed child care is available for only 27 percent of children with parents in the work force; 88 percent of child care requests to child care resource and referral programs (R&Rs) for children birth to five years are for full time care; 75 percent of parents are requesting care because they are working; and parents lack care options during non-traditional hours. It says that statewide, the number of children living in poverty has increased 5 percent between 2006 and 2008. In Amador County, only 31 percent of children ages 0-13 had parents in the labor force for whom a licensed child care slot was available. There are a total of 709 licensed child care slots in the county. The major reasons Amador parents seek child care are because of employment (77 percent), the parent is seeking employment (23 percent), or the parent is in school or training (6 percent). The network cites the “continuing downward spiral of California’s economy” as a major factor in the divide between supply and demand. “At a time when working families are struggling harder than ever to find and keep their jobs, everyone concerned about economic recovery should be paying close attention to what is happening to our licensed child care supply in California,” said Patty Siegel, Executive Director of the Network. The report says over half of R&Rs reported significant changes triggered primarily by foreclosure and unemployment. Donna Sneeringer, Public Affairs Manager at Sacramento-based Child Action Inc., says Sacramento County has seen “over a 20 percent drop in the supply of licensed child care since 2006.” She said this is most apparent in communities hard hit by home foreclosures. “However, as people return to employment, families will have fewer child care options which will complicate their return to the workforce. It is clear in our community that restoring the supply of child care must be included in steps to our economic recovery,” she said. The 2009 Portfolio is the 7th in a biennial series based on “tens of thousands of calls made to R&Rs throughout the state, as families attempt to locate specific child care.” Information about the supply of child care is based on R&R databases of active, licensed providers. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.