F YOU'RE A MOM OR DAD WHO WORKS THE NIGHT SHIFT OR THE
OVERNIGHTS, YOU KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT CAN BE TO FIND
CHILD CARE.
SQUARE ONE IN SPRINGFIELD IS ROLLING OUT A NEW PROGRAM TO
HELP PARENTS WHO WORK THESE HOURS.
IT'S A FAMILY-BASED MODEL OF CHILD CARE.
CAROLEE MCGRATH SAT DOWN WITH KRISTINE ALLARD, CHIEF
DEVELOPMENT OFFICER OF SQUARE ONE, TO LEARN MORE.
>> WE WERE EXCITED OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, WE'RE LAUNCHING
SQUARE ONE NEXT LEVEL.
THIS IS A CHILD CARE OFFERING THAT IS SPECIFIC TO FAMILIES IN
NEED OF CARE DURING SECOND SHIFT, THIRD SHIFT AND WEEKENDS.
WE HAD HEARD FROM SOME OF THE AREA EMPLOYERS OVER THE LAST FEW
YEARS THAT THERE'S A REAL NEED.
THEY WERE STRUGGLING TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN EMPLOYEES TO WORK ON
THOSE MORE NONTRADITIONAL SHIFTS, SO TO SPEAK.
SO WE HAD BEEN LOOKING AT DIFFERENT IDEAS, DIFFERENT
PLANS, AND WE CAME UP WITH A PROGRAM THAT WE REALLY ARE
EXCITED ABOUT AND WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT BEING
VERY SUCCESSFUL, IT'S A FAMILY BASED CHILD CARE, A HOME BASED
CHILD CARE OPPORTUNITY.
SO WE'RE RIGHT NOW IN THE PROCESS OF TRAINING PROVIDERS
AND HELPING THEM GET THEIR HOMES LICENSED.
AND THEN WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE'LL BE READY TO ENROLL
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES INTO THE PROGRAMS.
>> SO LAKISHA, YOU ARE A CHILD CARE PROVIDER AND HAVE BEEN FOR
MANY YEARS.
WHAT WILL THIS LOOK LIKE?
LET'S SAY I WORK THE SECOND SHIFT, 3 TO 11, 4 TO MIDNIGHT,
SO I BRING THE BABY OVER TO THE PERSON'S HOME AND THEY TAKE IT
FROM THERE?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THEY WILL BE CREATING CURRICULUM AND DAILY SCHEDULES FOR ALL OF
THE NEW SHIFTS.
SO A SHIFT AT, FROM 11 TO 7:00 WOULD LOOK SIMILAR TO
BRINGING THE CHILD IN WHETHER HE OR SHE IS AWAKE OR ASLEEP, AND
MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TENDING TO THEIR VERY DELICATE NEEDS AT
THIS SENSE OF THE TIME OF THE EVENING.
SO IT MAY INCLUDE HYGIENE MAINTENANCE, READING THEM A
STORY, PUTTING ON SOFT MUSIC, MAKING SURE THEY'RE COMFORTABLE
IN THAT NEW SETTING.
AND CARING FOR THEM DURINGS THAT HOURS.
>> THAT CAN BE TRICKY, TOO, BECAUSE THAT TIME OF DAY, IF
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FOUR TO MIDNIGHT, YOU MIGHT BE BRINGING
OVER THAT BABY IN A CAR SEAT, AND MAKING THAT TRANSFERS HOPING
THAT THEY DON'T WAKE UP.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE PROVIDER OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO
BE READY FOR, SAME IF IT WAS 11:00 TO 7:00 AS WELL.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THE SECOND SHIFT, WHICH IS IDEALLY 3:00 TO 11:00 OR 4:00 TO
12:00, WILL LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
IT WILL STRADDLE THE TRADITIONAL HOURS.
SO THERE MAY BE HOMEWORK HELP NECESSARY, AN ADDITIONAL MEAL
BEING OFFERED.
THEN OF COURSE NIGHTTIME PREP.
SO THOSE PROVIDERS ARE READY FOR WHATEVER HAPPENS WITHIN THOSE
HOURS.
>> AND TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT HOW THIS IS BEING FUNDED.
>> SO TO GET THIS PROGRAM OFF THE GROUND, WE WERE VERY
FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF MR.
WOOD, A PHILANTHROPIST IN THE AREA, AND VERY FORWARD
THINKING SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN WHO REALIZED THAT THERE WAS A
NEED HERE.
SO HE CHALLENGED US TO GO OUT AND RAISE HALF OF THE MONEY THAT
WE NEEDED FROM SOME OF THE BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY WHO
WOULD BENEFIT FROM HAVING THIS OFFERING FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.
SO WE WERE VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE SUPPORT FROM MGM, FROM BAY STATE
HOSPITAL, FROM SMITH AND WESSON, FROM FOCUS, FROM C.H.D., AND
FROM LENOX.
ALL BUSINESSES THAT WILL BE SUPPORTED DIRECTLY BY THIS, BY
BEING ABLE TO TELL THEIR EMPLOYEES THAT THERE IS THIS
SERVICE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
AND AS KIND OF A FOUNDING PARTNER IN ALL THIS, THEIR
EMPLOYEES HAVE PRIORITY WITH US WHEN THEY'RE IN NEED OF CARE.
MANY OF THE CHILDREN WE CURRENTLY SERVE QUALIFY FOR
ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE STATE, EITHER THROUGH A VOUCHER OR
THEY'RE INCOME ELIGIBLE FOR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WITH
US.
BUT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE FAMILIES WHO DO QUALIFY FOR
ASSISTANCE AND THOSE WHO WISH TO PAY PRIVATELY WHO HAVE THE MEANS
TO DO THAT PRIVATELY.
SO THERE REALLY AREN'T ANY LIMITATIONS ON WHO IS ELIGIBLE
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS NEW OFFERING.
AS WELL AS OUR EXISTING OFFERINGS.
>> WHAT HAS THE RESPONSE BEEN FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE CALLED YOU?
>> IT'S BEEN AMAZING.
THANK YOU, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE HEARD MANY TIMES OVER.
THANK YOU FOR OFFERING THIS.
HOW CAN I BECOME INVOLVED.
WE'VE BEEN AROUND JUST AS LONG AS TRADITIONAL, OUR STAFFERS OR
WORKERS.
SO JUST A RESOUNDING THANK YOU FOR OFFERING THIS AND HOW CAN I
BECOME INVOLVED AND WHAT'S THE PROCESS.
>> TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT THE LICENSING FOR HOME CHILD CARE.
PEOPLE MIGHT BE MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE CENTER, AND THIS IS
OBVIOUSLY NOT A CENTER ENVIRONMENT.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS, IF SOMEBODY IS LEERY AND YOU'RE THINKING I'M
LEAVING MY KIDS OVERNIGHT, WHAT IS THAT GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
TELL US ABOUT IT.
>> REST ASSURED, THE REGULATIONS ARE THE SAME.
THE TRADITIONAL PROGRAMS, THE DEPARTMENT OF EARLY EDUCATION
AND CARE OVERSEES EVERY CHILD CARE SETTING.
SO REST ASSURED IT'S JUST AS QUALIFIED AS A CENTER BASED
PROGRAM AND HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY WHILE FAMILY CHILD
CARE HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE AS LONG AS CENTER BASED.
THE EVENING CARE IS JUST ANOTHER HOUR OFFERED, BUT YOUR CHILDREN
WILL BE CARED FOR BY THE MOST QUALIFIED STAFF THAT WE CAN
BRING ON.
>> TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIPS YOU HAVE MADE AS A
CHILD CARE PROVIDER THROUGH THE YEARS.
>> FAMILY, NEW FAMILY MEMBERS.
I HAVE A LARGE EXTENDED FAMILY, AND IT'S BEEN AMAZING TO SEE
THESE CHILDREN GROW UP.
MANY OF THEM ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL NOW, NOT TO DATE MYSELF.
BUT THEY'RE IN HIGH SCHOOL OR ACTUALLY COLLEGE AS WELL.
SO TO SEE THEM GROW UP AND TO HAVE THEM TO BE AN EXTENDED PART
OF THE FAMILY HAS BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR MYSELF.
>> AND ESPECIALLY FOR LITTLE ONES IN A HOME CARE SETTING
SOMETIMES, ESPECIALLY OVERNIGHT, THAT'S WHERE YOU'D BE NERVOUS,
ESPECIALLY AS A NEW MOM.
I'M SURE PARENTS ARE VERY HAPPY AND GRATEFUL THAT THEY'D BE
MAKING A CONNECTION LIKE THIS.
>> I THINK FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES, FIRST OFF THE
TRADITIONAL FAMILY SETTING, IT'S CHANGING, THAT UNIT HAS CHANGED.
AND SQUARE ONE, OUR MISSION IS TO BUILD STRONG FAMILIES.
I THINK THE IDEA OF EVERYBODY BEING HOME, WHILE IT'S LOVELY TO
THINK ABOUT FAMILIES ALL BEING HOME TO SHARE DINNER TOGETHER
AND DO HOMEWORK TOGETHER AND THE TRADITIONAL HOURS OF THE DAY,
UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S NOT THE REALITY ANY MORE.
SO HOW DO WE EMBRACE THE CHANGE IN REALITY AND STILL ENCOURAGE
FAMILIES TO HAVE THAT QUALITY TIME TOGETHER.
SO MAYBE FOR FAMILIES THAT HAVE REAL LITTLE ONES, INFANTS AND
TODDLERS IN PARTICULAR, MAYBE THAT QUALITY FAMILY TIME IS
SPENT OVER BREK FAST OR LUNCH TIME, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE
TRADITIONAL SIT DOWN TO DINNER EVERY NIGHT.
THAT'S JUST NOT THE REALITY ANY MORE.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE A REALITY IS THAT FAMILIES STILL NEED TO HAVE
QUALITY TIME TOGETHER AND THEY NEED TO HAVE HIGH QUALITY CARE
AND BE ABLE TO WORK AND FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THEIR KIDS ARE
BEING CARED FOR IN A SAFE, HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT WHILE
THEY'RE ABLE TO WORK.
>> YOU'RE DEFINITELY CALLED TO DO THIS, I LOOK AT TEACH TERSE
SAME WAY.
THERE'S JUST PATIENCE BEYOND PATIENCE THAT NOT ALL OF US
HAVE.
WOULD YOU AGREE?
>> I WOULD DEFINITELY AGREE.
AND ONE OF THE STIPULATIONS WHEN PROVIDERS CALL IN AND SAY I WANT
TO JOIN YOUR TEAM, IS DO YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR THIS WORK.
YOU MUST.
YOU CAN'T LOOK TO GET RICH OR LOOK TO BASICALLY GET RICH.
YOU MUST HAVE A PASSION FOR THIS WORK AND HAVE SOME LEVEL OF
DEDICATION TO CARING FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.
BECAUSE IT'S A WHOLE CIRCLE, CARING FOR THEIR FAMILIES IS
ALSO PART OF THE PROCESS, AS SQUARE ONE IS DOING AN AMAZING
JOB WITH THEIR FAMILY SERVICES WHICH THE EVENING PROVIDERS WILL
ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT SERVICE AS WELL.