At the February board meeting for the Village Early Childhood Center, the decision was made to open availability for drop-in childcare services to meet the demand for more flexible and care-on-demand services in the area. The Drop-n services at The Village are open to the public and appointments can be made as quickly as same-day for some applicants.
“The board’s decision is a big step in helping working parents and families in need to short-term or emergency childcare,” said Executive Director, Crystal Hansen.
After an increase in calls asking about drop-in services, the staff and members of the board decided to take up the discussion surrounding providing the services through their facilities. While daily rates at The Village have been available for quite a while, some parents asked if an hourly rate would work in the case of short-term care needs.
“We had a parent call just the other day asking if we could watch their child during an important job interview,” said Hansen. “That seems to be happening at least once or twice a week.”
With Spring Break in full swing and parents and families busier than ever, the opportunities for short-term care at The Village couldn’t have come at a better time. The drop-in service will give busy parents the opportunity to make doctor’s appointments or emergency meetings without the need to pay the full-day rate.
The hourly rate for The Village’s Drop-In services is $15.00 per hour, per child. As long as the age group space is available and all of the parent’s contact and emergency information is documented, the child(ren) can be placed with as little as 30-45 minutes forewarning.
“We’ll bring in the kids and make them part of the daily activities and curriculum,” said Hansen. “Giving them plenty of structure and routine and lots of kids their age to play with.”
Of course, space is limited to adhere to State regulations for daycare and childcare providers, but Hansen was quick to clarify that each room, from the infants and two- to three-year-olds, up through school-aged classrooms have openings and would be a safe place for any child to spend time.
“All of our staff are certified and have full background checks for the safety and security of our kids,” said Hansen. “If there’s ever any question on availability or openings, just give us a call.”
For more information, please reach out to The Village Early Childhood Center’s Executive Director, Crystal Hansen at 2500 College Drive, Osceola, Iowa 50213, phone: 641-342-1421.
