The Importance of Child Care
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.
The demand for talent will continue through 2031
1 in 3 women are considering leaving the workforce
Nearly 40% of leaders are “most concerned” about supporting working parents
1 in 4 working parents experience burnout due to the stress of balancing child care and work
How to help employees with child care
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.
How To Set Up Employer Sponsored Child Care
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.
- Access to local and federal tax credits
- Help employees with time management
- Increased employee retention
- Help reduce employee monetary strain
- Help employees feel valued
- Decrease absenteeism for child care closures
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 Cost Calculator Now
Learn about facility requirements and licensing requirements set forth by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
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.
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
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.
Learn MorelaunchAdditional Financial Opportunities & Tax Credits:
Community Service Tax Credit
Receive funding as a Kansas non-profit for your next project.
State Funding Opportunities
Your business may be eligible for state matching loan programs.
HSA/FSA Deductions
Businesses can deduct contributions into employee plans.
Additional Resources
Business Support Center
Resources and information on supporting employee’s child care needs.
Building Child Care Capacity
A state program designed to expand child care capacity and quality.
Early Childhood Education
Explore content from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
Boost Your Competitive Edge
Actions for a healthy, productive workforce from the CDC.
First 1000 Days Kansas
Resources to give Kansas children a strong start in life.