By Chloe Sieman, UW-Madison Senior, Major: International Studies and Public Policy
Today, 4.2 million children nationwide lack access to child care, exacerbated in regions of low average property value and high rates of poverty, disparately affecting Black communities. Inaccessibility to high quality care leaves parents with the option of either jeopardizing income, or leaving children without appropriate care and enrichment. The enrichment gap highlights disparate programming quality and access that have long-standing effects on “academic achievement, academic attainment, and [risk-taking] social behaviors.”
Local governments can help. Across the country, cities are filling gaps by expanding Parks & Recreation Summer Programming to support students and families. Here are four key considerations, with examples:
- Welcome all ages: support youth through structured leadership involvement (12-14) and employment opportunities (15+) and expand programs into new age ranges (3k-K). The City of Milwaukee, WI Parks and Recreation has over 50 weekly programs and events inclusive to teens (13-17) across the summer. Approaching this demand from a different angle, the Parks and Recreation Department in Neenah, WI – my hometown – addresses the needs of teens transitioning out of school‑age structured programs through its “Leaders in Training” initiative. This new program fosters development by integrating leadership opportunities for participants at Neenah Parks and Recreation summer childcare services for ages 4-6.
- Prioritize Accessibility: Create an accessible scholarship funding pool for summer programs with simplified qualifications for families (i.e. if you qualify for district FRP lunches). About half of K-12 parents cite program costs as the main reason for not being able to participate in summer programming. Minneapolis’ Parks and Recreations Board recently implemented a “no-questions asked” tiered pricing system for recreational activities, allowing caregivers to sign up for a 25, 50, 75 or 100 percent discount that aligns with yearly household income and family size guidelines.
- Meet Demand: Design programs around families’ needs by providing childcare services that extend beyond the work day, enabling parents to fulfill their work duties while delivering enriching programming. Camp Fort Worth in Fort Worth, TX provides full day (7:30 am – 6pm) options for children ages 5-12 at a cost of just $65/week.
- Grow in Enrichment: Engage public private partnerships for field trips, shared space agreements, and program development partnerships. Neighboring cities, school districts, public libraries, local community organizations, and youth groups can be great resources. In Athens-Clarke County, GA, a lack of youth sports activities in many schools was exacerbating a 30% youth poverty rate. In response, the Clarke County School District and the unified government formed a 50/50 funding partnership to offer sports at every elementary and middle school in the district.