Strides Made to Add More Childcare in Santa Barbara County

A wide gap remains between available childcare and the number of families who need it in Santa Barbara County, but several agencies delivered positive news to the Board of Supervisors on the results of the $2 million in funds from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act that were spent on the childcare sector relief and recovery initiative. While United Way of S.B. County worked to expand childcare offered by employers and corporations, the Santa Barbara Foundation added to the number of qualified early childhood–education professionals. Both reported in early October that they’d exceeded their original goals, with eight months left in the contract.

A United Way report in May revealed some alarming childcare statistics countywide — 75 percent of parents reported difficulty finding childcare spaces, only 10 percent of lower-income families are enrolled in center-based care, and 30 percent of middle-income parents are spending at least 30 percent of the family income on childcare. Three-quarters of employers believed that childcare challenges hurt their employees’ attendance.

The childcare initiative’s efforts thus far have resulted in more places for babies and toddlers, and more licensed professionals to care for them. The work done by subcontractors — which included Children’s Resource and Referral of Santa Barbara County and the S.B. County Education Office’s Child Care Planning Council — created 314 new places for infants and toddlers. Some children were placed at 10 brand-new childcare centers, while seven other centers expanded the number of children under their care.

The gains in placements could only be made with an increased number of caregivers. By adding 189 new licensed caregivers through this program, another 756 new infant/toddler spaces were made. The total is a record-breaking 1,070 new infant/toddler spaces. For children of all ages, the total number of spaces increased by 1,826 by October. The goal had been nine centers and 250 children.

“I don’t think in our wildest imaginations that we would have expected what we’re seeing here,” said Joan Hartmann, 3rd District Supervisor, in response to the organizations’ success. “How you’ve exceeded all your performance measures … just knocked it so far out of the park.”

While progress has been made since funding began in 2022, the number of families that need childcare is still high. Of the 16,874 kids of childcare age in 2020 tabulated in United Way’s “Brighter Futures” report, only 1,469 spots existed in 2023 among both family and center-based childcare givers.

The work by United Way, S.B. Foundation, their partner First 5, and their subcontractors continues. Of the funds allocated, United Way spent $280,680 and has $719,320 remaining as of October 8, 2024. S.B. Foundation expended $661,899, with $463,101 remaining. The organizations said they would press on through the contract end date of July 2025.

More information from the Santa Barbara Foundation can be found here: https://sbfoundation.org/what-we-do/childcare/. For United Way’s “Brighter Future Childcare Initiative,” click here: https://www.unitedwaysb.org/childcare.