The Drumbeat Interview Series
It’s clearer now more than ever, childcare is a major challenge for millions of Americans across the country. It was a national challenge even before the pandemic completely disrupted life for working parents, employers, and local economies. It’s also evident that the lack of access to quality, affordable childcare is indeed a workforce issue.
The U.S. Chamber Foundation has continued to work with the business community to find solutions that meet working parents’ needs and effectively address the childcare crisis. A countless number of employers — big and small — have worked to find ways to alleviate some of the burdens working parents have faced in trying to find a sustainable childcare solution: allowing remote work, increasing flexibility of working hours, even providing on-site care.
This interview series aims to bring key stakeholders, early education experts, business leaders, and childcare providers to the table to discuss not only what can be done, but what solutions are already underway in filling the childcare gaps and deploying key investments in the support of working parents.
Childcare Providers Roundtable
On this episode of The Drumbeat, Aaron Merchen, senior director of policy and programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, is joined by Nicole Sohn of Journey Discovery Center in Spokane, WA, and Erica Van Horn of YMCA in Custer, South Dakota, for the first installment of the Childcare Providers Roundtable.
- Education
Childcare in Louisiana: How Business Partnerships Can Support SolutionsLibbie Sonnier of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, and Timothy Magner of the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, joined The Drumbeat to discuss the state of childcare in Louisiana and how partnerships with the business community are helping find childcare solutions.
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Latest Content
Libbie Sonnier of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, and Timothy Magner of the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, joined The Drumbeat to discuss the state of childcare in Louisiana and how partnerships with the business community are helping find childcare solutions.
Economist Abby McCloskey joins The Drumbeat to discuss the state of early childhood education policy, what employers need to know about childcare solutions, and what we can expect moving forward with childcare policy in a divided government.
April Kimble, early childhood education specialist, joins The Drumbeat to discuss the importance of quality when evaluating childcare solutions. Kimble discussed key indicators of quality like building a positive environment, licensing, basic education, and more.
Charles Aull, executive director of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, discussed how childcare impacts the labor market in Kentucky, specific access and affordability concerns in the state, and solutions employers can explore.
Mary Janssen, regional director of NE Iowa at Iowa Child Care Resource & Referral, shared insights on the cost of childcare and its impact on both working parents and organizations focused early childhood education.
Aaron Merchen, director of policy and programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, will host a new video series, the Drumbeat, centered on issues surrounding Early Childhood Education.
