Childcare options ready for summer in southern Ill.

SOUTHERN Ill., (KBSI)- Childcare is a necessity when it comes to working parents everywhere.

In Southern Illinois several solutions are in place for parents in need.

Shawnna Rhine with the Southern Seven Health Department encourages parents to look at the Head Start program in their areas.

Rhine says, “If you’re looking for childcare, you can always contact your local Head Start. We are always looking for children during the summer.”

Head Start focuses on getting children Kindergarten ready.

The early Head Start program is specially designed to meet the unique developmental needs of children between the ages of birth to thirty-six months.

Rhine adds, “Head Start is a good starting point because it gets them ready for Kindergarten and we also not looking at just school readiness skills, we’re also looking at developmental skills as well, we work closely with them on vision, hearing and dental screenings, and we also work with the parents to make sure they’re getting the resources that they need.”

Early Head Start is now offered in all of the Southern Seven counties such as, Alexander, Hardin, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski and Union.

In Vienna, Superintendent Josh Stafford is inviting parents to the Childcare Assistance Program that could be a major help to individuals who could get childcare paid for or paid to provide it, whether new or existing.

Stafford says, “Beginning of May to where school is going to be closing soon, what’s going to be happening with our children all over the region, and childcare is just so hard to afford, it’s very hard to afford.”

On Wednesday, May 8th, Childcare Resource & Referral will be present to offer information about various resources available to help offset the costs of childcare.

They will also help complete any necessary forms and or application.

Stafford adds, “Bottom line at the end of the day, we want to make sure that parents and kids all over our region are aware of the childcare assistance program, and the benefits that it could bring to them.”