Beyond Caretaking: The Business of Child Care in Langlade County
Beyond Caretaking: The Business of Child Care in Langlade County
Sustainable child care is a complex challenge, especially in rural communities like Langlade County. But our proactive Dream Up! Taskforce, organized by the Langlade County Economic Development Corporation (LCEDC), is consistently finding innovative ways to support our essential providers. This past summer, a key initiative saw three of Antigo’s child care centers participate in an in-depth business review with Business of Childcare.
This strategic move is designed to create stronger, more resilient centers, ensuring continued access to quality care for our community’s littlest learners.
Insights for Long-Term Health
The collaboration, facilitated by the Dream Up! Taskforce, brought together our diverse centers – a privately owned facility, a business-led center, and a faith-based program – for individualized operational consulting. This deep dive was about equipping each center with the tools for maximum efficiency and economic resilience, safeguarding their ability to operate successfully for years to come.
Here’s what our local child care leaders had to say after their experience:
Jenny, Director of Peace Lutheran Ministries Child Care: “This was an eye-opening experience. The insights gained will help us strengthen our long-term health and stability as a program, allowing us to keep making changes that ensure continued service for our community. I appreciate that the review honored the individualism of our center.”
Abby, Owner of Antigo Child Care: “It’s tough navigating business ownership solo, so having a collaborative partner to guide the direction of our center was invaluable. The review helped us break down our operations to see the potential of where we could be, giving us stronger clarity on how to optimize our resources.”
Sam, Supervisor of LeRoyer Child Care Center: “We were able to take a deep dive which gave me key insights to present to the board, strengthening my argument for essential changes customized to our center. It helps us see what’s working, what’s not, and how we can make things better.”
Investing in Our Future
This strategic investment in the business acumen of our Langlade County child care providers is a direct reflection of the Dream Up! Taskforce’s commitment to providing resources to existing programs. By strengthening the foundation of these three essential child care centers, we are not only ensuring continued access to quality care but also bolstering the overall economic development of our rural community.
The success stories from Jen, Abby, and Sam underscore the power of collaborative support. When we help our centers become more resilient and efficient, our families benefit from knowing they have a dependable source of quality child care.
To learn more about Dream Up! and their initiatives, contact the Langlade County Economic Development Corporation by phone: 715-623-5123, via email: aclose@co.langlade.wi.us, and follow their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/langladecountyedc
About the Dream Up! Taskforce:
The Dream Up! Taskforce, formed in 2023, is continuing their work to change the child care concept in Langlade County by; providing resources to existing child care programs and start-ups, advocating for sustainable child care funding beyond parent fees, and educating the community on the current child care crisis while looking ahead to the future.
About Business of Child Care:
Business of Child Care helps rural and small-town communities solve child care challenges that limit families and hold back local economies. We believe child care is essential infrastructure, just like roads and broadband. Reliable child care allows parents to work, businesses to grow, and communities to thrive.
”Communities need to see themselves as supporters of a community asset, no matter what its legal structure may be. Every child care business, regardless of ownership model, contributes to the community’s workforce, stability, and well-being.”
-Jeff Andrews
Business of Child Care