Child care: Concerns, hopes shared at county-wide meeting
"It takes a village to raise a child." - African proverb As he sat on the floor in Hazen City Hall, Robby Froelich was oblivious to the goings-on around him. That’s understandable; he’s only 2 years old. But the discussion going on around him couldn’t impact him more – as interested Mercer County residents, child care providers and regional child care and economic development officials met to discuss issues, concerns and potential of the child care industry in Mercer County. Cindy Sanford, director of Rural Development Council and Center for Technology & Business, led the meeting. Needs of the community Sanford has heard comments from mothers that in some cases they cannot hold jobs because they have nowhere to take their child. "I thought it’d be a great idea to bring together resources that could help begin new child care centers or expand existing child care centers," she said. "Child care is an important sector of the economy but often goes unnoticed – unless you are a parent who cannot find child care or an employer who cannot find employees."
