4.6. Family Child Care Pod Model

In West Virginia, mainly because of trust issues, the younger the child, the more parents seem to prefer to have a relative provide care to their child. Parents of young children may also be more inclined to choose family-based child care due to cost, convenience and cultural traditions [193]. Additionally, in some rural communities, family-based child care may be the only option available [194]. However, the creation of a new center is not always the right solution for all communities. Large child care centers usually work in urban areas when parents work regular hours (9 a.m.to 5 p.m.) with a set drop-off time in the morning and pickup at night [195].

An emerging strategy to increase the supply and sustainability of child care businesses in rural areas is the creation of “family child care pods” [196]. Under this model, several family-based child care providers are housed in one facility. Each provider runs an independent business within the facility and pays a modest monthly rent for the space [197]. Providers are responsible for paying their own staff and contracting directly with caregivers.

The benefits of this model are decreased expenses with rent (sometimes rent can be free if providers are placed in buildings that are donated or otherwise vacant and made available to them), the ability of creating a natural shared services alliance/network (see section 4.1.) and lower start-up costs and operating expenses than a child care center [198]. Under this model, family child care providers would feel less isolated and have access to more resources and support, as opposed to when they provide such services on their own (See the “MyVillage Model” under section 4.2.). Since West Virginia has a large number of vacant buildings, family child care pods could be strategically placed in such properties (which could be donated or rented at a low cost) to meet the needs of the local workforce while offering costs savings as well as more financial stability to providers.