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County hears update showing limited infant–toddler child care access and local funding efforts
Summary
A Northwest Regional Child Care Resource and Referral representative told the Columbia County board that while preschool access improved to roughly one-third of children, infant–toddler access remains low; local ARPA seed funding and a new coalition aim to expand slots and support providers.
Eva Manderson, program coordinator for Northwest Regional Child Care Resource and Referral, told the Columbia County Board of Commissioners on March 4 that the county remains short on licensed infant and toddler child care despite modest gains for preschool-age children.
Manderson said the Oregon State University biennial Child Care Desert study and the Find Child Care Oregon database are the primary sources the region uses to measure licensed slot availability and family-facing market prices. "The definition of a child care desert is that there are more than 3 children for 1 licensed slot of child care, or 33% of children have access to a licensed child care slot," she said.
Why it matters: Manderson said that while preschool-age access (ages 3–5) rose to about 34% in the most recent 2024 study — moving that age group out of 'desert' status — access for infants and toddlers remains far lower (she cited about 8% in 2024).…
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