Northwoods Forum on Child Care

Dream Up! Lincoln County is proud to announce the Northwoods Forum on Child Care, a regional conversation about the childcare landscape and the effect on families, community, and the future of Northern Wisconsin. The forum will be held on Wednesday, October 14 at the Lincoln County Service Center, Upper Floor. There will be a reception at 5:00PM sponsored by Geiss Meat Service. The forum starts at 6:00PM, featuring perspectives from: Wisconsin State Representative Patrick Snyder, Chair of the Wisconsin State Assembly Committee on Children and Families, will provide a legislative and policy perspective on the challenges facing Wisconsin families and the child care system. Micki Krueger, Assistant Director of Childcaring, Inc., will bring the perspective of child care providers and the regional child care resource and referral system, including the challenges providers face in recruiting, retaining, and sustaining their workforce. Brian Kalish, Executive Director of Advance Wisconsin Employment, will address the connection between child care, workforce participation, and the ability of employers to recruit and retain employees. The discussion will be mediated by Sara Guild, Director of Lincoln County Economic Development, and Elsa Duranceau, President & CEO of the Child Care Coalition of Wisconsin (3CWI). Together, they will help guide a meaningful conversation connecting child care to economic development, workforce needs, family stability, and community vitality. Discussion Topics What is the child care issue? How are families, employers, and communities affected? What does child care have to do with Wisconsin's workforce and economy? What can we do, together, to build sustainable solutions? This forum is an opportunity to move beyond identifying the challenges and begin exploring what is possible when families, providers, employers, policymakers, and communities work together. We hope you are able to join us for this important conversation!