BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – A scholarship program is aimed at helping Burlington families cover the cost of child care and help get parents back to work.
It’s a tough reality for many parents, especially those with younger children. “You’re making the decision between going back to work or just staying home with your kids because you can’t afford to send your kids anywhere,” said Margaret Coleman, a parent and child care provider who benefited from the program.
In an effort to connect families to affordable, high-quality child care, the Early Learning Initiative established the program in 2017 and it’s really taken off.
“Zero to three is the hardest to find child care, the fewest spots in the city, and it’s the most expensive. Ratios are the highest between adults to children and so that’s why there are the fewest spots,” said Rebecca Resse with the Early Learning Initiative. “Helping low-income Burlington families afford child care but also find it.”
The program has helped over 40 families in the Burlington area since the first grants were offered in 2019.
The money awarded by the scholarship goes directly to the child care centers. “We wouldn’t have been able to go back to work without these scholarships,” Coleman said. “It can be really hard trying to balance work and childcare and quality child care and making sure your children are being cared for and safe. But then also simultaneously figuring out how to pay the bills and pursue your career.”
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