News Release!
October 8, 2004
Classified Staff Child Care Scholarship
The UW Office of Child Care and Family Resources announces a child care scholarship available to UW-Madison classified staff with children.
The Classified Staff Scholarship was initiated in 2003 to assist with the critical needs of classified staff in affording high-quality child care. "As with most families in America, child care concerns rank number two as the largest concern among this employee group; income earning ranking number one," cites Connie Wilson, who worked collaboratively with Lynn Edlefson in the Office of Child Care to initiate the fund, in response to ongoing concerns in recruiting and retaining a classified staff workforce. Classified staff are frequently hired in low paying entry-level positions and find it difficult to balance dual roles as employees and parents; and are often unable to afford child care which enables them to stay in their position(s). “The staff turnover has high costs, both financially and in service; the poor care situations for their children result in frequently missed work and even more important, render the children at risk for poor academic performance of their own,” states Edlefson.
"Classified staff keep UW-Madison running through millions of daily tasks and various encounters with students, staff and faculty. For our campus to truly be experienced as welcoming, it is essential for the classified staff to be well supported in the important work they do," states Wilson.
"Over the past 20 years, there have been major changes in America's family structure and work force," notes Edlefson. "Over 60% of the nation's families are dually employed; 68% in Madison; the challenge is to support young families. Child care programs struggle to keep up with the growing demand for accessible and affordable services. A year of quality infant care in Dane Country costs upwards of $11,000; preschool aged at $9,000. In both instances, the cost exceeds tuition costs for a full academic semester at UW-Madison. And, while taxpayers subsidize children's elementary school costs, there is no subsidy for children under 4 years. The irony is that the research clearly shows that the most important years of a child's brain development and cognitive/social and language development are between birth and age 3."
Employees who demonstrate a high need for additional financial support for regulated child care (center or individual) should apply by November 5, 2004. A subcommittee of the University Child Care Committee will review applications received for the scholarships. Two $500 scholarships will be awarded by December 15, 2004 for use this academic year. For more information, or to receive an application, go to the campus child care web site at www.wisc.edu/housing/childcare/partners or contact Lynn Edlefson, Office of Child Care and Family Resources at 262-9715. Individuals interested in making a personal contribution can contact Connie L. Wilson at 263-5707 or clwilson@bascom.wisc.edu.