As the school year winds down, parents are looking toward summer care options for children, and the need is still growing.
Kirsten Gray, the VP of Child Care at the YMCA, said they’re seeing ‘a lot’ of parents reaching out trying to find care for their children this summer.
“Parents have been reaching out early, trying to secure places because they know space will be limited,” Gray said.
The Valley YMCAs are seeing about 70 families on standby, currently, waiting to enroll their kids into the organization, but are waiting for the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) to hopefully help give them state financial aid to help pay for it.
Rachel Camara, a mom on the waitlist, ABC15 spoke with in April, said she’s still waiting to get that money. She hasn’t been able to work her full-time job since she left for maternity leave and doesn’t have anyone to watch her six-month-old baby full-time.
“It's tedious. It can be a little frustrating, especially for those who do not have anything else,” Camara told ABC15.
After months of waiting, she said she received a letter in the mail from DES to verify her identity just over the weekend, which she told ABC15 she’ll jump on soon, wanting to get her kid into child care and get back to her full-time job.
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As of May 9, DES said there are more than 2,500 kids on the waiting list due to funding limits. Child care facilities like the YMCA are also waiting for some action from the state to help fund them.
“If that goes through, it'll be pivotal in releasing the waitlist, which we're excited about,” Gray said.
However, that won’t come in time with kids about to go out on summer break.
There are several places families can reach out to try and send their kids to either child care or summer day camps. The YMCA has several options for families, including financial aid, as well as the Boys and Girls Club of the Valley. Different organizations do have fees.
“Every location will have different pricing based on the region. As low as $60 a week and as high as $100 a week. There is financial assistance if any parents are looking for that,” said Tessa French, with the Boys and Girls Club of the Valley. French added that families would also need to sign up for a membership with their organization for $30 a school year.
Families can also reach out to their school districts, as some schools do offer summer options as well.
