News

Childcare task force announces four listening sessions

By Lightning Reports, Published: April 8, 2023

The Henderson County Early Childhood Task Force has scheduled four Impact Listening Sessions on Opportunities & Outcomes for Child Care May 8 and 9 at Bethel Wesleyan Church, 909 Tracy Grove Road.

The listening sessions are designed to engage in a focused discussion on the challenges and opportunities for child care in Henderson County. Insights gleaned from these sessions will help determine areas of focus while working toward solutions in Henderson County. Community members are welcome to attend any of the four sessions. Topics include:

• Child care directors/providers – 6 p.m. Monday, May 8 (dinner included)
• Businesses – noon Tuesday, May 9 (lunch included)
• Education – 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 9 (chocolate included)
• Civic government – 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 9 (dinner included)

The Early Childhood Task Force, led by co-chairs Commissioner Rebecca McCall and former Henderson County School Board member Amy Lynn Holt, consists of community members, businesses and childcare providers who are taking a communitywide approach to addressing the issues of capacity to serve children, staffing in both the child care centers and neighbor’s businesses and the high cost of care. The task force was formed following the 2022 Speak Out for Kids event, sponsored by the Community Foundation of Henderson County and facilitated by Jamie Wiener, executive director at the Children & Family Resource Center. For more information, contact Wiener at Jamiew@childrenandfamily.org, or  828-698-0674.