A new program provides substitute child care employees to area child care centers. ERC Resource & Referral, a nonprofit agency, and Key Staffing, a for-profit employment agency, have created a partnership that provides trained and screened substitutes for child care centers in Shawnee County. A Capital Area Smart Start grant provides additional funding for the program, called Caring Connections.
"In a typical business, if someone calls in sick or is absent, you just do without them for the day. In the child care field, that is not an option," said Reva Wywadis, ERC executive director. "The director steps in for the day, or a part-time staff person is called in to come in early, or they move kids to another classroom. Since the program has been in existence, some of the pressure has been off."
This program can be used by child care centers for the unexpected times when someone is needed to fill in for the day or part of a day or for times that have been scheduled in advance.
"It's a fabulous program for the city for all of the child care centers. It was sorely needed," said Margaret Lachowsky, YWCA Early Learning Center director, who uses this service. "The teachers are well qualified. We just couldn't be happier. More substitutes are needed."
Child care center staff members have a high rate of turnover, plus sicknesses, vacations and unexpected absences from work. It has been difficult for centers, especially new or small ones, to find qualified individuals for temporary work.
After several months of planning, the program started in April. Child care centers notify Key when a worker needed, then Key calls them to work and pays the substitute. ERC provides the training and handles background checks. Training classes are scheduled about once a month. Both agencies work to recruit substitutes.
Depending upon education and experience, substitutes receive $8 to $11 per hour, Wywadis said.
Substitutes must be at least 18 years old, pass the KBI/SRS Child Abuse Registry Check and fill out an application with ERC or Key. Applications can be found at www.ercrefer.org.
"We had heard repeatedly over time this was an unmet need and had discussed how we could meet it," Wywadis said. "We are not in the business of employing temporary people.
"We talked to Key Staffing. We met with them and said, 'Here is the need and how can we meet it?' Key Staffing was really willing to work with us to figure out how to make it work."
Caring Connections is a unique model that other Kansas communities are considering replicating, including in Lawrence through its ERC satellite office.