FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. — Frederick County is launching a new child care study, after county leaders warned of a critical shortage of care.
This new study builds on a report last year that found a dire lack of licensed providers in the county.
The county noted:
If current trends hold, the ratio of children per licensed slot will approach crisis level in the next decade.
In one prominent example, Frederick Community College willsoon shut down its preschool - which enrolls 69 children - after 30 years.
FCC President Annesa Payne Cheek said that "in today’s financially austere environment at the federal, state, and local levels, any operation that sustains repeated financial loss must be critically evaluated."
The county's Division of Family Services will now look at the state of child care for children up to 12 years old, not just young children.
Director Kelli Goetz said in a press release that “Frederick County families continue to struggle with limited child care options, high costs, and a shortage of available slots."
The study will involve surveys, focus groups, and interviews with parents, providers, community groups, and others.
More information is available online.
