SHREVEPORT, La. — The North Louisiana Economic Partnership (NLEP), the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce and the Northwestern State University Child and Family Network together want to acknowledge and thank the Caddo Parish Commission, in particular Commissioner John-Paul Young, for providing $200,000 in funds for COVID-related expenses to childcare businesses in Caddo Parish.

Childcare businesses, like all small businesses, received a significant and in some cases fatal financial blow due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Having childcare available is a critical factor in allowing the rest of the economy to reopen fully. If employees with children do not have access to childcare they cannot go back to work. A North Louisiana business survey conducted by the NLEP in late April indicated 43% of respondents stated that access to childcare was a barrier to their employees’ ability to return to work.

While the current Louisiana Phase 3 reopening guidelines allow childcare facilities to be open, it is with significant constraints and increased costs. Childcare facilities are limited in the number of children they can serve based on current guidelines for distancing and group sizes. They have increased costs for required PPE and stringent sanitation guidelines.  New protocols for drop-off and pick-up, as well as increased facility cleaning, require them to hire additional staff.

All of these new costs come alongside less income as their capacity is limited by state guidelines. And to make matters worse, 8,910 Louisiana children whose families received support from Louisiana Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) over the last several months from federal  pandemic support funds will no longer receive CCAP if the state does not allocate new funds for this program. Those families therefore will likely lose their ability to pay for childcare.

The Northwestern State University Child and Family Network will facilitate the distribution of the grants to individual childcare centers per agreed upon guidelines with Caddo parish.

“NSU is honored to collaborate with the Caddo Parish Commission, the North Louisiana Economic Partnership, and the Greater Shreveport Chamber in this unique program to support family and workforce needs. NSU is not just academics,  but also strives to be an essential resource to the communities it serves,” said Dr. Chris Maggio, president of Northwestern State University.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a painfully bright light on the pre-existing challenges faced by Louisiana workers in accessing quality childcare, as well as the precarious financial footing of the childcare industry. While all of our organizations will continue to support efforts to expand childcare capacity and access in the state and in our region, as well as new solutions for funding it, we are very grateful for the Caddo Parish Commission’s support of working families in need of childcare in Caddo Parish.

About NLEP

NLEP provides professional economic development services to the 14-parish region of North Louisiana, including lead generation and prospect management. The organization also represents the interests of North Louisiana with a unified voice and as a single point of contact. It acts as a catalyst , a convener, and a connector in the region to ensure that North Louisiana’s economic development potential is realized.