news.nmu.edu Open in urlscan Pro
2001:48a8:800:3200:198:110:200:65  Public Scan

Form analysis
1 forms found in the DOM

GET /search/node

<form action="/search/node" method="get" id="search-block-form" accept-charset="UTF-8">
  <div class="form-item js-form-item form-type-search js-form-type-search form-item-keys js-form-item-keys form-no-label form-group">
    <label for="edit-keys" class="control-label sr-only">Search</label>
    <div class="input-group"><input title="" data-drupal-selector="edit-keys" class="form-search form-control" placeholder="Search" type="search" id="edit-keys" name="keys" value="" size="15" maxlength="128" data-toggle="tooltip"
        data-original-title="Enter the terms you wish to search for."><span class="input-group-btn"><button type="submit" value="Search" class="button js-form-submit form-submit btn-primary btn btn-nmu icon-only" name=""><span
            class="sr-only">Search</span><span class="icon glyphicon glyphicon-search" aria-hidden="true"></span></button></span></div>
  </div>
  <div class="form-actions form-group js-form-wrapper form-wrapper" data-drupal-selector="edit-actions" id="edit-actions"></div>
</form>

Text Content

Skip to main content
Toggle navigation


MAIN NAVIGATION

 * Around NMU
 * Alumni
 * Arts and Culture
 * Feature/Profiles
 * Research
 * Strategic Plan


NMU ADDRESSES CHILD CARE SHORTAGE CONCERNS

Mar. 11, 2021
Care provider with child (iStock photo)

Based on concerns expressed by employees and students about the scarcity of
local child care options, Northern Michigan University has signed a contract
with WeeCare, the largest network of licensed child care providers in the United
States.  

WeeCare works to recruit in-home providers with at least three years of teaching
experience to care for infants through school-aged children. It supports them
through state licensure, including background checks, and supplies them with
curricula, enrollment support and other resources.

Rhea Dever, assistant vice president of NMU Human Resources, said in addition to
matching parents or guardians with childcare or backup childcare options,
WeeCare works to understand what needs are not currently being met and recruit
additional in-home care providers.

“They do have some providers in the Marquette area that may be able to meet some
of the immediate demand that employees or students have, but they realize that
they will likely need to develop more providers,” Dever said. “It's a process
that would take about three months, but they have had success doing this in
other rural areas.

“Given the challenges employees and students have with finding childcare, this
was a really interesting model and worth pursuing. We are excited and hopeful
that this partnership will facilitate a much-needed solution for our employees
and students, who would be given first priority for placement with WeeCare
providers.”

Dever said the average monthly cost for care is estimated to range from
$625-$850 for infants and preschoolers. WeeCare services include access to a
dedicated care manager to help with finding and enrolling in childcare that
includes full-time, part-time, backup, drop-in and overnight options; 24/7
support for finding care and managing the experience once someone opts into the
service; and pandemic learning pods.

Human Resources will send an email to employees and work through ASNMU to reach
students with related information and web links. Communications are being
finalized and will be distributed in the next few business days. Parents or
guardians can opt in by completing a questionnaire that requests information
including their needs, the age of their children and the hours/days childcare is
needed.

According to its website, all WeeCare childcare providers are safety-certified,
curriculum-based and have stringent health protocols to keep families safe. The
network, with more than 2,500 locations, has been featured on PBS NewsHour and
in Forbes and Business Insider.

According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank in Washington, D.C.,
“Rural communities desperately need more child care supply in general, as well
as family child care specifically, in order to sustain their local economies.
The nationwide decline in home-based child care options over the recent decade
suggests that rural communities are impacted the most, with fewer licensed child
care options close to their home or work.”

For more information, visit weecare.co.

Dever can be reached at rdever@nmu.edu or 227-2333.


Prepared By

Kristi Evans
News Director
9062271015

Categories: Around NMU


SEARCH NORTHERN TODAY

Search
Search

View All Stories
Subscribe
Submit Story Ideas


RECENT CONTENT

 * Australia Tech Exec Speaks on People Analytics
   3 days 20 hours ago
 * Asahi Practice Gains Traction
   4 days ago
 * 'Northern Now' Focuses on Art and Design
   4 days ago
 * 3MT Winners Announced
   6 days ago


POPULAR ARTICLES

 * NMU to Power UP200 as Gold Sled Sponsor
 * Remembering Former President Jamrich
 * Skill + Sisu = Gold Medal
 * Feedback Invited on Interim Strategic Plan
 * NMU Board Restructures Academic Affairs


RESOURCES

 * Archive
 * Events Calendar
 * News Categories

1401 Presque Isle Ave. • Marquette, MI 49855-5301 • 906–227–1015
© 2019 by the NMU Board of Trustees. NMU is an equal opportunity institution.