A Need For Collective Efforts

Written By: Johanna Fein, Highlands Chamber of Commerce/ Visit Highlands, NC | Issue: August 2023

Left to Right: Kaye McHan and Elizabeth Byrum

The Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Visit Highlands, NC recently organized an event aimed at tackling the pressing issue of early childhood education in the region.

This event featured a presentation by Elizabeth Byrum, Senior Policy Analyst for Early Childhood Education from NC Child. Byrum shed light on the state of early childhood education in North Carolina by covering critical topics like funding sources, successful partnerships, key statistics, and ongoing policy initiatives. The gathering of community leaders, businesses, and childcare providers provided a platform for essential discussions and aimed to foster collaboration in addressing the childcare crisis.

“There’s a need for collective efforts to alleviate the challenges faced in Highlands,” says Kaye McHan, executive director of the Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Visit Highlands, NC. “The childcare crisis affects us all.”

A snapshot of early education in North Carolina:

• There are 710,000 children in the state age birth to five years old, representing 31.6% of children under 18 years of age.

• 65 percent of children birth to five years of age live in households where both parents work.

• As of May 2023, 225,614 children are enrolled in childcare programs.

“Early childhood education is about more than school readiness,” says Bynum. “Children who receive high-quality childcare go on to graduate high school on time, earn higher wages, live healthier lives, avoid incarceration and raise stronger families.”

Bynum suggested the following next steps for the Highlands Community toward resolving the childcare crisis:

• On-Site Visits and Advocacy: Collaborating with local, county, and state elected officials to arrange on-site visits where providers, teachers, parents, and business leaders can share firsthand experiences. These visits will not only shed light on the challenges present in Highlands but also highlight the transformative potential of prioritizing childcare investment.

• Exploration of “Out of the Box” Solutions: The group should actively engage with interested parties to explore the innovative childcare solutions presented. By connecting with other communities who are successfully implementing these solutions. This exchange of ideas may highlight opportunities for supporting accessible and affordable childcare within the community and at a statewide-policy level.

• Consider Leveraging the Family Forward NC Initiative: This is a program to improve children’s health and well-being and keep North Carolina’s businesses competitive. It is an employer-led change to increase access to research-based, family-friendly practices — big and small — that improve workplace productivity, recruitment and retention; grow a strong economy; and support children’s healthy development. It could be a valuable resource in assessing micro policy solutions for businesses related to childcare, paid leave, flexible scheduling, and other family-friendly practices. By utilizing the initiative’s insights and guidance, a supportive environment for businesses to resolve the childcare crisis could be fostered.

The Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Visit Highlands, NC, is hopeful this will serve as a catalyst for action by community leaders, businesses, and childcare providers. By collectively prioritizing accessible and affordable childcare, Highlands can create a nurturing environment that supports the early development and education of all children in need.

(If you’d like to receive a copy of the presentation, please email [email protected].)