To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Office of Education, and Human Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Liz DePrimo 707-524-2600, and Angela Struckmann, 707-565-5800
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
2024-2025 Sonoma County Child Care Needs Assessment Report
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Receive and approve the 2024-2025 Sonoma County Child Care Needs Assessment Report.
end
Executive Summary:
The mission of the Child Care Planning Council of Sonoma County is to convene and inspire the community through collaboration, leadership, and advocacy to promote and plan for quality child care and development services for the benefit of all children (primarily birth to 12), their families, and Sonoma County.
It is requested that the Board accept the 2024-2025 Sonoma County Child Care Needs Assessment Report as reviewed and approved by the Child Care Planning Council, and approve the report for submission to the California Department of Education, Early Learning and Care Division.
Discussion:
The Child Care Planning Council (CCPC) was originally established in 1992 to meet the requirements mandated by the passage of Assembly Bill (AB) 2141, which created local child care and development planning councils to identify local priorities for child care and state preschool expansion funds. The passage of AB 1542, which established the CalWORKs program, also required the County Superintendent and the Board of Supervisors to designate a local child care planning council to establish priorities for state-funded child care and development services and to develop a comprehensive countywide plan for child care. This bill connects CalWORKs and the Sonoma County Human Services Department to the CCPC. On September 29, 1998, the County Superintendent of Schools and the Board of Supervisors designated the Child Care Planning Council of Sonoma County, which is staffed by the Sonoma County Office of Education. The Department of Education requires local child care planning councils to do a county-wide assessment of local child care needs at least every five years. The CCPC is required to submit the needs assessment to the Board of Supervisors and the County Superintendent of Schools for approval before submitting it to the California Department of Social Services. The 2024-2025 Sonoma County Child Care Needs Assessment Report has been reviewed and approved by the Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools.
The 2024-2025 needs assessment used multiple data sources, including county and state agencies, U.S. Census data, and a family survey with 559 responses collected both online and on paper in English and Spanish. Survey respondents reflected the county’s demographics, with a mix of languages, incomes, and family structures. Additionally, focus groups with 30 families and 22 providers offered deeper insights, representing diverse backgrounds and experiences with early learning and care in Sonoma County.
The 2024-2025 Sonoma County Child Care Needs Assessment Report examines data in the following categories:
● Child Population
● Availability of Care
● Access and Barriers to Care
● Quality of Care
● Multicultural and Inclusive Care
● Rollout of UPK (Universal Pre-kindergarten) and TK (Transitional Kindergarten)
● ELC (Early Learning and Care) Workforce Needs
Summary of Findings:
Sonoma County has seen a decline of more than 6,000 children ages 0-12 over the past five years, with the population expected to continue dropping by about 2% each year. Despite this decrease, there is still a significant shortage of child care, especially for infants and toddlers. Since 2019, the county has lost dozens of providers and thousands of child care slots, leaving families facing long waitlists, high costs, and limited care during non-traditional hours. Many families must rely on relatives, adjust work schedules, or leave jobs to manage care. Affordable care remains out of reach for families who qualify for subsidies but can’t access a spot, and for those who earn slightly too much to qualify. Providers are also struggling with low wages, staffing shortages, and pressures from transitional kindergarten expansion, creating a strained child care system that does not fully meet the needs of Sonoma County families.
Strategic Plan:
Not applicable.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
04-07-2020: Accepted and approved the 2019 Sonoma County Child Care Needs Assessment Report
Fiscal Summary
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
There are no fiscal impacts.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
There are no staffing impacts
Attachments:
2024-2025 Sonoma County Child Care needs Assessment Report
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
There are no items on file with the Clerk of the Board.