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Aug. 22, 2024Des Moines, Iowa |  By: Jeremy Werner

Iowa launches new online child care portal

child care

DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has launched a new online tool aimed at helping families find available childcare openings.

The website, called Iowa Childcare Connect, will serve as a central hub for parents to quickly locate nearby childcare providers with current openings or waitlists.

The new tool is part of ongoing efforts by the governor and state lawmakers to address the state's childcare shortage, an issue that worsened during the pandemic.

Since then, Iowa has invested $545 million to create more than 24,000 new childcare slots. The website is one of several recommendations from the state’s Childcare Task Force.

The platform will also collect data from over 3,000 providers statewide, helping decision-makers identify areas with high demand or shortages.

The information is intended to guide future investments in communities where childcare access is limited.

Reynolds noted that while the new website is a significant step forward, efforts to address broader challenges like worker wages and operational costs continue.