Child Care Solutions in Chattanooga: Building a Brighter Future for Families

Courtesy of Chattanooga 2.0

On the rare occasion when a teaching position opens at Apison Elementary, Principal Callie Stewart doesn’t stress too much about finding a replacement.

Her ace in the hole? An on-site day care for faculty and staff.

“Whether it’s a full-time or part-time position, many applicants will apply because of the day care,” Stewart says. “Word of mouth has gotten out.”

Addressing the Child Care Shortage: A Community Effort

Hamilton County leaders have taken note of the child care shortage across the nation. The problem keeps many parents out of the workforce, which costs Hamilton County an estimated $94 million annually, according to a recent study from Tennesseans for Quality Early Education.

To fill the need, Hamilton County Schools created the One Chattanooga Institute of Early Care and Learning program, which enables students to earn their Child Development Associate certification upon graduation.

The school system also partners with the Chambliss Center for Children in Chattanooga to embed day care centers on school campuses. There are 12 such facilities now in operation, including one at Apison.

Courtesy of Chattanooga 2.0

Stewart finds the infant care room an especially big draw for up-and-coming educators.

“If their baby is still nursing or their child gets sick, the parent will be nearby and can come down at any time,” she says. “It’s a convenient one-stop solution. And they don’t have to go through rush-hour traffic to get across town by 6 o’clock.”

The school is also a draw for Hamilton County parents who are seeking the best instructors for their children.

“Many relocate to our area for the quality of the education,” Stewart says. “We are a top choice school.”

LYNC Logistics: Leading by Example with Family-Friendly Policies

For Cindy Lee, president of LYNC Logistics, seeing her employees struggle through child care center closures during the pandemic was a game changer.

“Then, I did homeschooling with my grandkids for about two weeks, and I knew that something needed to be done to accommodate these parents,” Lee says.

The result was a new, dedicated playroom in the LYNC Logistics headquarters, with laptops, a ping-pong table, art supplies, desks — and an invitation for her employees to bring their children to the office whenever needed.

She especially encourages fathers to bring their children to work on snow days and other occasions.

“I tell them they’re not allowed to make their wife do it,” she says.

The approach must be working. On a recent school holiday, three youngsters were busy in the playroom, all of whom had accompanied their fathers to work.

“Private industry should step up and do a lot more,” Lee says. “Laws and restrictions can be burdensome, so it might make sense to cut some of the regulations. We really have to address this as a society.”

Chattanooga 2.0: Building a Brighter Future for Children

Jennifer Andrews is addressing the needs of children “from cradle to career” as the director of early childhood strategies for Chattanooga 2.0, an initiative aiming to improve economic opportunity and quality of life for children.

Cindy Lee, president of LYNC Logistics, opened a playroom where employees can bring their children to the office.

“We advocate, support and lead efforts to increase access to quality child care as a two-generational necessity for working families,” Andrews says. “That’s because children need high-quality early learning to support school readiness, while parents depend on affordable, reliable child care to work.”

One goal is to create a more coordinated and aligned early childhood system “with a vision for Hamilton County to be the best place in the nation for a child to be born and raised,” she says.

“We know that the children of today will be our doctors, lawyers, mechanics, pilots, mayors and teachers of tomorrow.”

Working with more than 75 community partners, Andrews says she views child care as a collaborative effort.

“What we can do as individuals and business members of this community is try to ensure children have access to multiple high-quality services and educational opportunities to meet their individual needs and give them a bright start in life,” Andrews says.