Childcare Initiatives

Access to reliable, affordable, and high‑quality child care is essential to a strong workforce and a thriving community. In Watertown and Codington County, child care is recognized as both a family issue and an economic development priority. Community leaders, service providers, employers, educators, and public agencies are working together to strengthen the local child care system and ensure families can participate fully in the workforce.

A Community‑Wide Response to a Growing Need

In recent years, child care has been identified as one of the most pressing needs in Codington County. A large majority of young children in the area rely on some form of child care, and survey data confirms that demand continues to increase as workforce participation remains high. Families report challenges finding available care, securing care quickly, and affording care that meets their needs—particularly for infants, school‑aged children, and non‑traditional work schedules.

In response, Watertown and Codington County formed a Child Care Action Team, bringing together representatives from city and county government, school districts, higher education, employers, child care providers, workforce organizations, and nonprofit partners. This group meets regularly to share updates, coordinate efforts, and guide a unified strategy.

Using Data to Guide Decisions

A county‑wide Child Care Survey was conducted in 2026 to ensure decisions are driven by real experiences of families and providers. The survey captured input from hundreds of parents and caregivers and highlighted several key themes:

• Most families rely on child care, but many contact multiple providers and wait weeks or months to secure care.
• Costs have increased significantly since 2022, making affordability a growing concern.
• Families prefer licensed child care centers but often rely on unregistered or informal care due to limited availability and cost.
• Gaps exist for before‑ and after‑school care, summer care, early morning hours, weekend care, and kindergarten‑age children.
• While many families are satisfied with the quality of care they receive, staffing shortages and capacity limitations continue to strain providers.

These findings are being used to inform local planning, funding decisions, workforce strategies, and policy conversations.

Supporting Providers and Expanding Capacity

Watertown’s child care strategy focuses not only on increasing slots, but also on supporting providers who deliver care every day. Community partners are working to:

• Strengthen the child care workforce through training, professional development, and quality improvement supports
• Expand licensed and registered care options while helping unregistered providers transition if they choose
• Support facility improvements, renovations, and expansions for existing providers
• Coordinate recruitment and retention of child care staff
• Align child care investments with employer needs and workforce growth

Programs serving children—from early learning centers to after‑school and summer programs—are continually adapting to meet demand, improve quality, and respond to changing family needs.

Aligning Child Care with Workforce and Economic Development

Child care access directly impacts employee recruitment, retention, and productivity. Employers across Watertown consistently identify child care as a barrier for workers—particularly for parents in health care, manufacturing, education, retail, and service industries with non‑traditional schedules.

By treating child care as critical infrastructure, Watertown is aligning workforce development, housing, education, and economic growth efforts. Reliable child care helps parents stay employed, supports early childhood development, and strengthens long‑term community stability.

A Collaborative Path Forward

Child care challenges cannot be solved by one organization alone. Watertown’s approach is intentionally collaborative—bringing together public, private, nonprofit, and educational partners to share responsibility, resources, and solutions.

Through ongoing data collection, coordinated planning, provider support, and employer engagement, Watertown is building a more resilient child care system—one that supports families, strengthens the workforce, and positions the community for sustainable growth.

Collaborating partners include the City of Watertown, Codington Connects, Watertown Development Company, HR Professionals, Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce, Boys and Girls Club, My Little Village, Headstart, Educare, McKinley Early Learning Center, SDSU Extension, Early Learners, and Rachel Mohr Consulting.

Want to get involved? Reach out to Angie Yahne at the Watertown Development Company for more information on how to get involved with local childcare initiatives.