FAYETTE COUNTY, WV (WOAY) – West Virginia parents with kids in childcare know it’s a cherished commodity.
With recent developments, including a change to the state’s billing policy and uncertainty surrounding federal funding, they are seriously concerned about the risk of the industry being devastated.
The community is pulling together to face this distressing situation.
Everybody needs to work to survive. Without childcare, it could wreak havoc on those with young kids.
Daughter and now grandson attend a place to grow
“It’s very scary because that means somebody is going to have to probably quit work to stay home and take care of grandkids, their own kids, which puts one income coming into a house, possibly,” said Christina Creasy, whose 24-year-old daughter (and now grandson) attended A Place to Grow Children’s Center.
The Mountain State has changed the way it’s implementing the billing system for childcare providers.
“In essence, as we work through the implementation of it, which went into effect September 1, this center will lose $12,000 a month, and that includes September,” Owner Melissa Colagrosso said. “Now we have to figure out how to move forward with $12,000 less in next month’s budget, and it’s just going to spiral.”
This teacher says daycare center closures would leave her not working and without her family’s insurance, which is pivotal, especially when her children are little.
“We wouldn’t be able to live the way that we live,” said Mary Israel, whose son and daughter attend A Place to Grow. “And we don’t even live above any sort of income. It’s just scary.”
Closures of childcare centers mean taking away a fabric of the American economy.
“I’d be devastated. I wouldn’t be able to go to work for myself, support my kids, my young ones,” Whitney James said, adding that her two children attend A Place to Grow. “It’d be very difficult. This is my little village; I wouldn’t be able to do anything without it.”
A Place to Grow has been lovingly serving the community for 30 years.
“We are probably one month away from having to close, and we are the only licensed childcare provider providing school-age children, up in the plateau area,” said Colagrosso.
Having to scramble to find childcare doesn’t leave many options.
“If there’s no child care, then you’re looking for family members, and there are no family members, really, who are not working anymore,” Creasy said.
We’re at the point of needing our legislature’s help. According to Colagrosso, while there’s an interim session, it’s imperative they’re talking to our secretary mayor, to the department of human services, to say, what can we do? There hasn’t been a cut from the funding, so we know the funding is there.
“This has been an ongoing problem. Childcare has been battling to stay open. Parents can’t afford to pay more, so we can’t raise our rates,” said A Place to Grow’s owner. “It’s putting people out of the workforce. We’ve had 350 childcare providers leave the state of West Virginia, leave the industry since February 2023.”
Letting your voice be heard is a powerful driver of change.
“We’re hoping that they can figure something out and take care of the families of this community,” Israel said. “Parents shouldn’t have to stress about child care. That’s not something you should have to stress about.”
