CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

Merced County child care providers receiving supplies to help during COVID-19 pandemic

Merced Sun-Star - 7/8/2020

Jul. 8--Merced County child care providers are receiving some much-needed supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic from local and state agencies, according to the Merced County Office of Education.

More than 200 child care providers continue to serve children of essential workers in Merced County during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release. Many of the providers have been forced to serve smaller groups of children in order to remain compliant with state guidelines, making it harder for them to stay in business.

Some of the supplies the child care providers are receiving include hand sanitizer, diapers, thermometers, soap, disinfectant wipes and masks, according to Rosa Barragan, director of Early Education Support Services for the Merced County Office of Education.

A monetary stipend to purchase supplies is also being provided to child care providers who remained open. "Child care is essential for working parents and communities," said Steve Tietjen, Merced County Superintendent of Schools, according to the news release.

"MCOE's Early Education Department is committed to ensuring child care providers have the tools to create the safest environment for our youngest students," he said.

According to Barragan, funding for the materials and stipends is coming from the Local First 5 of Merced County, First 5 of California, the State Department of Social Services and the California Department of Education.

Some of the supplies have been dispersed to the child care providers and more are to be given out over the next few weeks during a second round of deliveries. Additional supplies are expected by the end of July, according to the release.

According to the release, there were 406 licensed home child care providers in Merced County before the recession of 2008-13. Currently, there are 206 licensed home child care providers, which is not enough to meet the needs of working families.

According to Barrigan, grants are available to help with the licensing process and staff are prepared to provide assistance for anyone interested in opening child care business.

"Child care providers are an essential part of our infrastructure and are greatly needed as we reopen, so families can go back to work and so parents can have options," Barrigan said.

For information about the Early Education Department which offers private centers for families as well as professional development classes for licensed family child care providers, call 209-381-4585.

___

(c)2020 the Merced Sun-Star (Merced, Calif.)

Visit the Merced Sun-Star (Merced, Calif.) at www.mercedsunstar.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.