New Hampshire Communities Utilize Workbook to Address Child Care Financing and Supply Shortages
Communities in New Hampshire, specifically Manchester and the Upper Valley, are employing a specialized workbook developed by the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) to tackle significant shortages in child care availability and workforce. These communities, part of the Early Childhood and Business Advisory Council (ECBAC) and the Investing in America Child Care Partnership’s Child Care Supply Network, are facing distinct challenges despite shared issues. Manchester, the state's largest city, and the rural Upper Valley are both experiencing a lack of child care seats and workers. The BPC's workbook provides a flexible framework, rather than a rigid sequence, to help local leaders define problems, build evidence, assess political landscapes, evaluate financing models, select approaches, and plan implementation. Unlike Sitka, Alaska, which had a comprehensive report, New Hampshire communities started with existing evidence and outreach efforts, focusing on a solutions fund model similar to Iowa's, which offers fl...
