About the Program
About the Program
Changes in the family and the nation's economy have made child care services for working families an important workplace issue. The availability of high quality, affordable child care affects the well-being of families, the bottom line of most businesses, and the productivity and efficiency of the workforce. In 1985, the State of Florida became one of the first states to establish a program allowing work-site centers to be located in state-owned or leased space and permit sponsoring state agencies to cover the space, utilities, maintenance, furnishings and other operating costs. The centers are operated by private sector child care providers who are selected through a competitive bid process.
Purpose
- Assist state employees with more convenient, higher quality and more affordable child care at their workplace;
- Increase government efficiency by reducing tardiness and absenteeism, increasing productivity and morale, and recruiting and retaining a skilled work force;
- Serve as a model for other employers, especially those in the private sector; and
- Invest in early intervention to save the State future costs for remedial education, welfare and prisons.
At the beginning of the program, a three-year pilot study was conducted at the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV). The pilot center achieved full enrollment and financial self-sufficiency (excluding the facility costs) within the first year. The center has proved to be a successful business venture for more than 13 years. This study pointed to the positive impact of work-site child care on both the employee and the employer.
An evaluation of Florida's work-site program, conducted by the Florida State University in l991, estimated a benefit ratio of 3.4 dollars returned for every dollar invested.
How the Program Works
The Department of Management Services is responsible for administering the program and coordinating the establishment of child care services. The program allows work-site child care centers to be located in state-owned space or in privately-owned building leased by the State. State-sponsored centers are open to all eligible state employees with the sponsoring agency having first priority for enrollment. The sponsoring agency covers most of the cost of the physical facility (space, utilities, and maintenance) and may cover other operating costs of the center. The contracted service provider covers the cost of the service (staff, food, supplies, insurance, etc.) by charging the parents monthly fees which are deducted from the employee's paycheck. Factors such as population, need, space, funding and community impact are used as criteria in reviewing requests from state agencies to establish centers.
Centers established under the State Employee Child Care Program meet more stringent requirements than the State's child care licensing standards (smaller child-to-staff ratios, more qualified staff, etc.). Since the agency sponsoring the work-site center subsidizes a portion of the cost, the provider is expected to provide higher quality service without charging state employees more for the higher quality child care.
