The Right Place and Vibrant Futures Partner to Develop West Regional Child Care Action Plan

The Right Place, alongside Vibrant Futures, a Grand Rapids non-profit with decades of experience in childcare, created the West Regional Child Care Action Plan for the counties of Barry, Ionia, Kent, Mecosta, and Montcalm. Input from a 50-member coalition, including parents, providers, employers, early childhood intermediaries, government, and municipalities, was key in developing the report.

Funded through childcare planning grants, this plan is intended to expand the childcare footprint across Kent, Montcalm, Mecosta, Barry, and Ionia counties. Funding was provided by the Caring for Michigan’s Future Initiative, and the regional planning effort was administered by Michigan’s Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC).

“As economic developers, we know that when businesses look at this region for a new headquarters or factory, they look for locations with available space, reliable utilities, ready talent, but also, available childcare. West Michigan is currently strong in many of these areas except for childcare, costing us nearly $3 billion in Michigan and nearly $300 million in our region alone,” says Victor Joaquin, Talent Program Manager at The Right Place. “With this action plan, we have collected excellent insights and informed recommendations to help expand childcare in West Michigan. We are grateful to Michigan’s Early Childhood Investment Corporation for supporting this important work.”

Key highlights from the report include:

• Plan Objectives: The action plan aims to expand childcare supply and address systemic gaps. Research included input from parents, employers, and childcare providers through surveys and demographic analysis. Customized profiles were created for each county, along with maps detailing childcare capacity.
• Defining Child Care Gaps: Major challenges include rising childcare costs, low wages for workers, and the high demand for services that exceed the supply. Most parents (61%) cite cost as the primary barrier, while employers emphasize the need for more affordable childcare options.
• Charting a Course of Action: The coalition's strategic goals include expanding cost-share efforts, addressing workforce shortages, and increasing childcare supply. Four key action goals include increasing affordability, building a pipeline for childcare workers, advocating for licensing reforms, and aligning advocacy efforts with state and federal policies.

The full report can be found here.