Employer Resources - Child Care in Kansas

The Importance of Child Care

Child care isn’t just crucial to your employees, it’s essential to your company’s bottom line as well. Your staff needs reliable, professional child care to help them focus on their role as your employee. But the lack of dependable licensed child care often forces parents to leave the workforce completely, impacting your organization’s turnover rates, recruiting efforts, and training costs.

2031

The demand for talent will continue through 2031

33%

1 in 3 women are considering leaving the workforce

40%

Nearly 40% of leaders are “most concerned” about supporting working parents

25%

1 in 4 working parents experience burnout due to the stress of balancing child care and work

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How to help employees with child care

Before you start implementing any programs, learn firsthand from your employees what they need regarding child care.

The Family Friendly Workplace Survey system from the Kansas Children’s Service League is designed for employers that are ready to evaluate and improve workplace policies and practices. This free system will survey your employees to help identify employee priorities and the extent to which your workplace currently meets those needs. To get started, contact Kansas Children’s Service League at [email protected].

Some of the options you may consider include:

Doing your research. Contact your local child care resource and referral agency or learn more about Shared Service Alliances to understand the options for your employees in your area. Ensure your HR team can connect families to the proper resources.
Expanding parental leave. Allow extended, paid parental leave, including for adoptive and foster care parents.
Changing company policies. Set a predictable work schedule, consider remote positions or offer part-time schedules to help promote a family-friendly workplace. And if you have employees who are nursing , accommodate them appropriately.
Bringing care in-house. Implement an infants-at-work program as a low-cost child care solution and to support a positive work-life balance for your team.
Adding financial support. Add dependent care flexible spending accounts to your company benefits. FSAs are an excellent option for parents to save for child care with tax advantages. You can also consider adding an employee child care subsidy into your company budget.

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How To Set Up Employer Sponsored Child Care

When you sponsor child care at your business, you help strengthen your company’s success, morale, and the Kansas economy. Learn how to open your own child care facility at your place of business to help support your employees and the company’s bottom line.

step 1Calculate the cost of on-site child care

To understand if an on-site child care is affordable, calculate the annual operation costs and estimated revenue. And to make sure you can attract high-quality and reputable providers, research competitive and sufficient wages.

Use Operations Cos t Calculator Now

step 2Understand what licensing types may be required

Learn about facility requirements and licensing requirements set forth by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

step 3Research reimbursements

There are multiple ways you can receive financial support. Learn how the Kansas Department of Education can reimburse you for healthy meals and explore other financial opportunities.

step 4Consider DCF enrollment for additional assistance

Consider becoming a DCF-enrolled provider so your employees can access child care assistance.
Learn About Becoming A DCF Enrolled Provider

Employer Child Care Tax Credit

The Employer Child Care Tax Credit is a state law that allows Kansas businesses to apply to deduct a portion of child care expenses from their state income taxes. The credit aims to help businesses attract and retain employees, parents cover child care costs, and children remain in stable, nurturing environments.

With only $3 million available annually, businesses receive the credit on a first-come, first-served basis when filing tax returns in the spring. To claim the credit, a business must complete Schedule K-56, filed with the income tax return.

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Additional Financial Opportunities & Tax Credits:

Additional Resources