Iowa Child Care Connect which the state has dubbed “C3,” employs crowdsourcing technology to assist individuals in locating child care at the precise location and time they require.
Sheila Hansen, senior policy advocate for the nonprofit Common Good Iowa, stated that C3 is a significant enhancement over the state’s previous system.
Hansen recollected, “It was somewhat cumbersome and not particularly efficient.” “Hopefully this will be a vast improvement upon that and families will be able to just go in there and immediately find openings in their area.”
The website also provides information on the subsidies that the providers take, as well as current real-time openings and quality ratings. Hansen contended that the state should prioritize the enhancement of the working conditions and compensation of child care workers.
She acknowledged that the technology is a positive development; however, Common Good Iowa and other advocates have argued that the state does not require additional brick-and-mortar child care centers. The primary obstacle has been the necessity for additional personnel.
“That’s because they’re just unable to find the people who want to work in child care because the pay is so low or the benefits aren’t there,” Hansen pointed out.
Child care providers are mandated by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to fulfill a variety of training requirements and renew their certification every two years.
