Children’s coats hang in a hallway at Hillcrest Childcare Center in Anchorage o n April 18. The second and final report of a child care task force holds recommendations for expanding subsidies that families receive, speeding the caregiver licensing and hiring process and other steps intended to address the state’s shortage of affordable child care. (Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)
Child care shortages could be addressed by a combination of actions to help families with subsidies and help providers work through what is currently a daunting bureaucratic process, according to a new task force report released by the Alaska Department of Health.
Recommendations to expand child care options came in the second and final report of a task force established last year by Gov. Mike Dunleavy. The Governor’s Task Force on Child Care report, released on Dec. 27, follows an earlier report released last year.
Altogether, they contain 56 recommendations for action.
“The recommendations put forward are not only responses to immediate challenges but also a roadmap for a resilient infrastructure that serves both working parents that need reliable, safe care, and the licensed facilities that provide that care,” Heidi Hedberg, commissioner of the state Department of Health, said in a statement. “Removing barriers, especially in rural areas, and supporting the child care workforce, are other areas we expect to see long-lasting improvements, as a result of this important work.”