How might we anticipate the changing childcare needs of UNC Health employees?
HMW: How might we anticipate the changing childcare needs of UNC Health employees?
What we learned:
On 4/1/20 NC DHHS launched a COVID-19 Parent application for financial assistance for an emergency childcare program.
We’ve heard that some child care centers for essential workers in NYC are closing due to under-enrollment and this is something we’re monitoring here in NC, too.
Insights:
Based on the 600+ responses we have received in our childcare needs survey that went out to Triangle-based UNC Health employees and UNC School of Medicine Employees, there are several reasons why childcare needs may increase in the coming weeks/months that we will need to anticipate:
- Employees’ work schedules change, e.g. they’re asked to work extra or different shifts than their current schedule
- Current childcare centers close
- Current in-home childcare options fall through, e.g. current childcare provider, child, spouse/partner, or the employee tests positive for COVID- 19.
If any of these scenarios arise, UNC Health employees may need different and immediate childcare in order for them to come to work.
Questions generated:
After this survey, how will we be able to assess in real-time the childcare needs among UNC Health employees? · At the end of this task force, how will we evaluate the impact of our task force efforts in connecting UNC Health employees with childcare resources?