When childcare provider Cassandra Davis started her business a decade ago, she advertised on Craigslist and Nextdoor.
Now, new families learn about her through word-of-mouth. Emails pile up fast.
“I work 12 hours a day,” Davis said. “Getting back to families is one of the things I struggle with. Because I have a one-hour nap time — where I’m lucky if everybody’s napping, but they’re not always napping — or I’m calling families at like 7 at night or 6:30 in the morning.”
Making those connections with parents is vital to her small business staying afloat, especially when she has openings. She runs ECOdove Learning Center out of her home in Normal Heights.
When she’s fully booked, she brings in about $7,000 a month. Right now, she has two open spots for infants, bringing her monthly income down to $4,500.
“I may be eating ramen this week,” she said. “The kids will have their organic, great food. But this week I’m eating ramen.”
A website from the YMCA of San Diego County could help providers like Davis reach parents in search of childcare. Childcare San Diego relaunched in May.
Families can look for childcare openings, see if they’re eligible for financial assistance and contact providers directly.
“We really wanted this to be a one-stop shop,” said Kim McDougal, the YMCA’s chief social impact officer.
Shortly after the website relaunched, a parent found and enrolled in a subsidized childcare program within a week, she said.
“That could have taken a month prior, or even more,” McDougal said.
The new site can help families determine their eligibility for childcare assistance and narrow down their search for providers who accept it, McDougal said.
But there also isn’t enough funding to assist all families who qualify. Just 22% of eligible families in San Diego County receive childcare assistance, according to the YMCA.
Tuition and subsidies usually don’t cover the cost of providing high-quality childcare, they add.
“We’ll never be able to charge parents as much as it costs a childcare provider to run a business without some kind of external support,” McDougal said.
A half-cent sales tax on the November ballot would, in part, fund stipends for childcare providers and vouchers for families.
