东Grand Forks和Polk县面临严重的儿童保育短缺,婴儿和幼儿点减少66%,811名有工作父母的幼儿受到影响。 East Grand Forks and Polk County face a severe child care shortage, with 66% fewer infant and toddler spots, impacting 811 young children with working parents.

明尼苏达州东Grand Forks和Polk县面临严重的儿童保育危机,婴儿和幼儿护理点短缺66%,811名5岁以下儿童的父母双方都在工作。 East Grand Forks and Polk County, Minnesota, face a severe child care crisis with a 66% shortfall in infant and toddler care spots and 811 young children under age 5 having both parents working. 一项2024年的调查查明,东大福克斯省有252个儿童保育差距,全县范围更加短缺,而联邦资金减少和费用上涨使情况更加恶化。 A 2024 survey identified a 252-child care gap in East Grand Forks and broader shortages across the county, worsened by declining federal funding and rising costs. 提供商Diane Olson是36年的老兵,在公开心脏外科手术后重返工作岗位,尽管存在一些系统性挑战,包括严格的国家监管、人员短缺和繁琐的合规规则,但该供应商仍继续工作。 Providers like Diane Olson, a 36-year veteran who returned to work after open heart surgery, continue despite systemic challenges including strict state regulations, staffing shortages, and burdensome compliance rules. 明尼苏达州更严格的工作人员比例和详细的检查要求 — — 如区块计数和拖把引证 — — 转移照料资源,而相邻的北达科他州允许更灵活的人员配置。 Minnesota’s stricter staffing ratios and detailed inspection requirements—such as block counts and mop citations—divert resources from care, while neighboring North Dakota allows more flexible staffing. 专家将危机与出生率下降联系起来,因为父母因负担不起或得不到照料而推迟或避免生育子女。 Experts link the crisis to declining birth rates, as parents delay or avoid having children due to unaffordable or unavailable care. 目前正在努力减少耻辱感,扩大负担得起的租赁空间,倡导政策变革和增加国家资金,以支持儿童保育工作者。 Efforts are underway to reduce stigma, expand affordable rental spaces, and advocate for policy changes and increased state funding to support the child care workforce.