KDLY/KOVE

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) – A statewide women’s advocacy group warns

that child care is difficult to find and becoming prohibitively

expensive for an increasing number of parents in Wyoming.

     The Wyoming Women’s Foundation said providers also are having

trouble hiring and retaining quality child-care workers. The group

is part of the nonprofit Wyoming Community Foundation that

generally seeks to help with community improvements in the state.

     A statewide tour of child-care facilities by the group found

that some areas had no licensed child-care facilities. Even in

areas with facilities, coverage was often spotty, and many

facilities close for the summer or only offer child care for part

of the day.

     But foundation’s program director Sarah Mikesell Growney said an

even bigger problem than a shortage of child care workers in

Wyoming is the difficulty of paying quality child-care workers

enough to remain in their jobs.

     The Wyoming Children’s Action Alliance said the state had only

17,564 licensed child-care slots in 2008 to accommodate the 40,293

children up to age 12 that need child care.

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     Information from: Casper Star-Tribune – Casper,

http://www.trib.com