Post ARPA Child Care Provider Follow-Up Survey

Reno County Child Care Provider Follow-Up Survey

Post-ARPA Provider Feedback and Future Priorities
Four years ago, Reno County stepped into an unprecedented opportunity. Through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the City of Hutchinson and Reno County entrusted the Reno County Child Care Task Force with $6.1 million to help stabilize, strengthen, and expand child care during a fragile post-COVID season. That investment was later leveraged to secure more than $2 million in additional state funding, allowing the Task Force and its partners to support providers through grants, infant care incentives, training opportunities, facility improvements, workforce development, provider appreciation efforts, and expansion projects across Reno County.

As this chapter of ARPA-funded work comes to a close, we want to hear directly from the providers who have been at the center of these efforts. We want to understand what supports made the greatest difference, what challenges remain, and where the community should focus its energy and resources over the next 3–5 years.

Your feedback will help evaluate the impact of the past four years while guiding future planning, partnerships, advocacy, and sustainability efforts for child care in Reno County.

This survey should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. Your responses will be used to understand overall provider experiences, needs, and priorities. Individual responses will not be publicly shared in a way that identifies you or your program.

Name (Optional)

First NameLast Name
Which best describes your child care program?
What role best describes you?

Enrollment

Rows	Infants	Toddlers	Preschool Age	School Age
Licensed Capacity by age group
Current Enrollment by age group

Total Number of Staff
What are the biggest challenges your program is currently facing? (Select up to 5)

Other

Thinking about your program and the child care field in Reno County, how have the following areas changed compared to four years ago? (Please rate each one)

Rows	No progress	A little progress	Some progress	A lot of progress	Unsure
Financial sustainability of your program
Provider pay and compensation
Ability to recruit and retain staff
Support for infant and toddler care
Facility improvements and safety
Access to training and professional development
Connection and collaboration with other providers
Provider appreciation and recognition
Community understanding of child care as essential work

Which of the following Task Force programs, supports, or initiatives did you or your program personally use or benefit from? (Select all that apply)

Other

Please rate how helpful each support has been to your program. (Please rate each one)

Rows	Did not use	Not helpful	Slightly helpful	Moderately helpful	Extremely helpful
Retention Grants
Infant Incentive Grant
Immediate Needs Grant
Quality and Expansion Grant
Gap Funding
Training Opportunities
Training Stipends/Incentives
Provider Appreciation Efforts
Provider Networking
Facility Expansion/New Slot Creation Efforts
Information and Communication Resources
Advocacy and Community Awareness

Which support(s) have you found the most beneficial and why?
Briefly describe one specific way Task Force support has made a difference in your program, staff, children, or families.
Were any programs or grants difficult to access, confusing, or not as helpful as intended? (Select one)
If yes, what was difficult or what could have been improved?

Would you be willing to be interviewed or attend a workshop to further discuss these topics?
Would you like to help plan the future of child care in Reno County?
If you answered yes to either of the 2 questions above, please input your contact information below. Include your name and email address.

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Reno County Child Care Provider Follow-Up Survey