Childcare

The issue is a lack of funds in the state’s childcare subsidy program. The program helps low-income families pay for childcare so they can work or attend school. However, it's facing a major budget crunch, and there’s no certainty that more funding will arrive to support it.

A controversial Colorado law states if a child protection caseworker gets caught falsifying records or lying about checking on children in one county, that person can still get a job in another county. The law further states that a new employer does not have to know about past bad behavior if there is no criminal case against that individual. Some childcare advocates are asking for a change. The Colorado Sun reporter Jennifer Brown joined KUNC's Michael Lyle, Jr. to discuss her story.

The rising cost of childcare is a nationwide issue and parents in Northern Colorado are feeling it. Today on In The NoCo, we explore why this essential service comes with such a high price tag.

At the core of the childcare crisis is a lack of workers. It’s a tough job and the pay doesn’t always reflect that, which makes it hard to find staff. Today on In The NoCo, we visit with a nonprofit provider that serves low- and middle-income families to see how it’s trying to address the shortage.

Childcare in Northern Colorado is hard to find and there are several factors at play intensifying the shortage here. Today on In The NoCo, we get a better grasp on how the crisis affects families and communities.

The headlines started appearing in July and August: A child care catastrophe was looming.Nearly 1,100 Colorado child care programs would shutter and 83,000 young children in the state would lose care after federal COVID aid expired in September, according to projections from a national think tank.

Bea Romer helped establish the Colorado Preschool Project, which was an early incarnation of what's steadily grown into a universal preschool program for Colorado children that launched in 2023. She died in her daughter's Colorado home on Sunday after a "long illness," according to a statement from her family.

"A Child Care Desert" - Steamboat Resort Opens New Facility To Help Workers, Local Community

During the pandemic, efforts have increased to address the national child care crisis. Several states in the Mountain West are taking steps to reduce the cost of care for low-income families.

Twelve children, many showing mild symptoms or none at all, brought the virus home, infecting at least a dozen more people. One parent ended up in the hospital.