Could Burlington early learning initiative help solve Vt. child care crisis?

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Burlington says its child care model could inspire a statewide solution.

Burlington’s Early Learning Initiative began in 2017 and helps families subsidize child care for kids from birth to 3 years old. It also expanded the number of slots.

The city says three out of five of Vermont’s youngest children don’t have access to the care they need. This is why they hope the early learning initiative will serve as a blueprint for lawmakers who are right now trying to hash out a fix for Vermont’s crisis.

“Families have to be able to find care to be able to continue to work to be able to make sure that their children are in the best supportive developmentally appropriate environments for them. We have to be able to make it affordable so our state can continue to attract people, families can continue to work and employers can continue to hire people,” said Rebecca Reese of the Burlington Early Learning Initiative.

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee will vote on expanded child care funding this week.

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