Kalispell Chamber of Commerce Childcare Survey - 2021

Thank you for taking the childcare survey.

The purpose of this survey is get feedback on child care needs in Flathead County. All responses are confidential. At the end of the survey, click on the "Done" button to record your answers. You will also be taken to a page to enter a raffle for a free I-Pad!

Question Title

* 1. What is the zip code for your primary operations/headquarters in Flathead County.

59901, 59903, 59904 (Kalispell)

59911 (Bigfork)

59912 (Columbia Falls)

59913 (Coram) Hungry Horse (55919) Martin City (59926) West Glacier (59936)

59916 (Essex)

59920 (Kila) 59925 (Marion)

59922 (Lakeside) 59932 (Somers)

59927 (Olney)

59928 ( Polebridge)

59937 (Whitefish)

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 2. Please indicate the number of employees (FTE) at your business.

1-10

11-25

26 - 100

51-100

100+

Question Title

* 3. Do you work in the early childcare education or childcare sector?

Yes

Question Title

* 4. Please indicate the category that best describes your type of business/operation.

Accommodations - Food Service

Arts - Entertainment - Recreation

Construction

Education

Finance - Insurance - Real Estate

Health Care - Social Service

Government

Manufacturing

Professional - Technical - Information Technology

Retail

Non-Profit

Transportation - Wholesale - Warehouse - Shipping

Other (Please specify)

Question Title

* 5. Over the last two years, please indicate which of the following descriptions is most like your experience with hiring employees at your place of business.

Stayed about the same

Improved/gotten easier

Declined/gotten more difficult

Don't know/not applicable

Question Title

* 6. In the next two years, please indicate the anticipated growth in employment at your place of business.

Stay about the same

Increase in number of employees

Decrease in number of employees

Don't know/Not applicable

Question Title

* 7. Please indicate if your business/organization has experienced the following issues in the last year? (Check all that apply.)

Job applicants have turned down a job offer due to inability to secure child care services.

Employees have quit their job due to lack of child care options.

Employees switched from full-time to part-time work due to child care related problems.

Job applicants – employees have accepted another position because they found a different job that was more conveniently located to child care services.

Employees left work early due to child care issues.

Employees are tardy due to long commutes to between child care services and the work place.

Increased absenteeism due to issues with employees and child care arrangements (such as lack of back-up care.)

Employees are less productive at work due to child care related problems.

Employees have reported a lack of child care that can accommodate work schedule.

Employees have reported that there is a shortage of "affordable" child care options.

Employees have reported lack of openings or a waiting list for child care.

Lack of child care is preventing my business from growing.

Employees decline to pursue training or additional education due to child care related problems.

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 8. What actions has your business taken to address the child care issues?

Offer Flex-time

Provide on-site day care

Allow child care expenses to be covered by "cafeteria plan"

Subsidize child care costs for employees

Telework or shared work options

Contributed to community initiatives to address child care

Partner with other employers to support new/expanded child care options

Outreach to legislature, state and local officials supporting initiatives to address child care issues

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 9. Please indicate your level of support for the following policies.

	Do Not Support	Somewhat Support	Support	Strongly Support	Don't Know
One time grants to remodel space or offset other start-up costs for new or expanding child care business	One time grants to remodel space or offset other start-up costs for new or expanding child care business Do Not Support	One time grants to remodel space or offset other start-up costs for new or expanding child care business Somewhat Support	One time grants to remodel space or offset other start-up costs for new or expanding child care business Support	One time grants to remodel space or offset other start-up costs for new or expanding child care business Strongly Support	One time grants to remodel space or offset other start-up costs for new or expanding child care business Don't Know
Scholarships for early childhood education degrees (link to working in child care in Flathead County post -graduation)	Scholarships for early childhood education degrees (link to working in child care in Flathead County post -graduation) Do Not Support	Scholarships for early childhood education degrees (link to working in child care in Flathead County post -graduation) Somewhat Support	Scholarships for early childhood education degrees (link to working in child care in Flathead County post -graduation) Support	Scholarships for early childhood education degrees (link to working in child care in Flathead County post -graduation) Strongly Support	Scholarships for early childhood education degrees (link to working in child care in Flathead County post -graduation) Don't Know
Apprenticeship opportunities in early childhood education	Apprenticeship opportunities in early childhood education Do Not Support	Apprenticeship opportunities in early childhood education Somewhat Support	Apprenticeship opportunities in early childhood education Support	Apprenticeship opportunities in early childhood education Strongly Support	Apprenticeship opportunities in early childhood education Don't Know
Insurance pool for child care businesses to provide health care benefits for employees	Insurance pool for child care businesses to provide health care benefits for employees Do Not Support	Insurance pool for child care businesses to provide health care benefits for employees Somewhat Support	Insurance pool for child care businesses to provide health care benefits for employees Support	Insurance pool for child care businesses to provide health care benefits for employees Strongly Support	Insurance pool for child care businesses to provide health care benefits for employees Don't Know
Increase income eligibility levels for programs that offer reduced child care tuition such as Head Start and Best Beginning	Increase income eligibility levels for programs that offer reduced child care tuition such as Head Start and Best Beginning Do Not Support	Increase income eligibility levels for programs that offer reduced child care tuition such as Head Start and Best Beginning Somewhat Support	Increase income eligibility levels for programs that offer reduced child care tuition such as Head Start and Best Beginning Support	Increase income eligibility levels for programs that offer reduced child care tuition such as Head Start and Best Beginning Strongly Support	Increase income eligibility levels for programs that offer reduced child care tuition such as Head Start and Best Beginning Don't Know
Expand technical assistance for childcare providers	Expand technical assistance for childcare providers Do Not Support	Expand technical assistance for childcare providers Somewhat Support	Expand technical assistance for childcare providers Support	Expand technical assistance for childcare providers Strongly Support	Expand technical assistance for childcare providers Don't Know
Referral service for families to get information about child care providers, tuition scholarships and other programs	Referral service for families to get information about child care providers, tuition scholarships and other programs Do Not Support	Referral service for families to get information about child care providers, tuition scholarships and other programs Somewhat Support	Referral service for families to get information about child care providers, tuition scholarships and other programs Support	Referral service for families to get information about child care providers, tuition scholarships and other programs Strongly Support	Referral service for families to get information about child care providers, tuition scholarships and other programs Don't Know
Outreach to employers on flex time, cafeteria plans, and other policies for addressing workplace issues regarding child care	Outreach to employers on flex time, cafeteria plans, and other policies for addressing workplace issues regarding child care Do Not Support	Outreach to employers on flex time, cafeteria plans, and other policies for addressing workplace issues regarding child care Somewhat Support	Outreach to employers on flex time, cafeteria plans, and other policies for addressing workplace issues regarding child care Support	Outreach to employers on flex time, cafeteria plans, and other policies for addressing workplace issues regarding child care Strongly Support	Outreach to employers on flex time, cafeteria plans, and other policies for addressing workplace issues regarding child care Don't Know
Build space for child care providers to share services, kitchen, and playground to reduce operational costs	Build space for child care providers to share services, kitchen, and playground to reduce operational costs Do Not Support	Build space for child care providers to share services, kitchen, and playground to reduce operational costs Somewhat Support	Build space for child care providers to share services, kitchen, and playground to reduce operational costs Support	Build space for child care providers to share services, kitchen, and playground to reduce operational costs Strongly Support	Build space for child care providers to share services, kitchen, and playground to reduce operational costs Don't Know
Bonuses to childcare workers to offset low pay	Bonuses to childcare workers to offset low pay Do Not Support	Bonuses to childcare workers to offset low pay Somewhat Support	Bonuses to childcare workers to offset low pay Support	Bonuses to childcare workers to offset low pay Strongly Support	Bonuses to childcare workers to offset low pay Don't Know
Expand publicly funded early childhood education programs	Expand publicly funded early childhood education programs Do Not Support	Expand publicly funded early childhood education programs Somewhat Support	Expand publicly funded early childhood education programs Support	Expand publicly funded early childhood education programs Strongly Support	Expand publicly funded early childhood education programs Don't Know
Employer cooperatives or other partnerships to expand child care capacity	Employer cooperatives or other partnerships to expand child care capacity Do Not Support	Employer cooperatives or other partnerships to expand child care capacity Somewhat Support	Employer cooperatives or other partnerships to expand child care capacity Support	Employer cooperatives or other partnerships to expand child care capacity Strongly Support	Employer cooperatives or other partnerships to expand child care capacity Don't Know
Streamline regulations and licensing requirements for childcare	Streamline regulations and licensing requirements for childcare Do Not Support	Streamline regulations and licensing requirements for childcare Somewhat Support	Streamline regulations and licensing requirements for childcare Support	Streamline regulations and licensing requirements for childcare Strongly Support	Streamline regulations and licensing requirements for childcare Don't Know

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 10. Please share information you have about initiatives, resources or best practices to address childcare needs.

Question Title

* 11. Thank you for your time to complete the survey. Please provide email if you are interested in receiving updates on upcoming focus groups and results of the survey.

Name

Company

Email Address

Phone Number