Providing Technical Assistance for Employer-Supported Child Care

The Santa Rosa Metro Chamber of Commerce (Calif.) has been committed to supporting family-friendly workplace policies and investments in early childhood education for many years. The chamber has also seen firsthand how lack of access to quality, affordable child care impacts the economic growth of the region. In 2017, as a result of the California wildfires, Sonoma County lost 15 licensed child care programs, displacing 444 child care spots overnight.

The chamber has made child care an even higher priority, with a focus on Employer Supported Child Care. It has made a clear business case for investing in early learning and child care and help educate their member businesses about why this should be a priority. For example, prior to the pandemic, half of the workforce missed eight days of work per year due to child care issues, and that number is significantly higher now. In addition, research suggests that, for every dollar invested in high quality early learning and care, there is a $4 to $16 economic return.

In the spring of 2021, the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber held an Employer-Supported Child Care Roundtable to cover common topics related to the business case for investing in early childhood education and care. In addition, the chamber expanded its Worksite Held Employee English Learning (WHEEL) program to promote family-friendly workplace policies and to help families understand how they can be more involved in their young children’s education.

Finally, the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber offers deeper support to businesses interested in creating additional child care options through technical assistance consulting. The chamber offers support by:

• Assessing needs through employee surveys
• Producing ROI comparisons
• Connecting to existing child care providers
• Providing resources and models to ensure program success
• Serving as a convener and advocate

This example demonstrates how chambers can champion early learning and child care as a member benefit through consulting and employer education. The chamber has been able to increase business investment and engagement, which will continue to improve the economic stability and growth of the region.