Daycare demand exceeds supply
By Edna Sailor
When the Parshall community daycare closed recently, the situation not only impacted Parshall, but the child care industry in the surrounding as well. A closer look at the industry finds that most daycare facilities in the area are full, nearly full or have waiting lists.
The stories up and down the Highway 23 corridor are the same. There are too few trained or reliable employees available to sustain the need for daycare in this area, which means not enough daycare providers. This has a domino effect creating a situation where providers can have little to no time off. Most daycare providers voiced their desire to be in the industry. They like what they do and provide an invaluable service vital to a sustainable economy. In Parshall, the loss of the community daycare hurt but parents still have limited options.
Rockview School for Tots in Parshall is full with a waiting list, said director Brittney Fornal. Business Manager, Wendy Wohlk said the daycare is actually owned by Parshall 2000 Inc., a community business group.
