Information about Child Care for Businesses

It’s Good Business to Invest in Child Care

Research shows that business leaders who invest in child care see increased recruitment and productivity, lowered turnover and absenteeism, and a great boon to their positive public image. The dollars and cents continue to add up as employers now receive a tax credit for child care costs incurred—25% of costs for qualified child care expenses and 10% of costs for child care resource and referral services--up to $150,000 annually. Employers are increasingly taking advantage of the pro-child care/ pro-family approach by offering child care referral services, subsidies for employees’ child care expenses, and on-site child care centers. Through these efforts, companies are finding that it is, in fact, good business to invest in child care.

Congratulations to 2008 Minnesota Work-Life Champions Awards recipients! READ MORE (PDF)

For more information regarding Business Partnerships please contact Terry Vasquez at: terryv@mnchildcare.org

Child care options for the employer

There are a wide variety of child care benefits and supports that you can offer your employees. The options include providing information, flex-time and leave policies, providing financial assistance, and creating and supporting services.

All the options described on the following chart can be implemented solely within your company or as part of a larger community initiative. And many of these options can be implemented with little or no cost to the company.

To view and download The Child Care Options Worksheet (PDF) click here.

Other resources for businesses

Find child care online

Child Care Financial Aid website which provides an immediate estimate of the benefits and amounts for which employees qualify.

Watch this space for more information on Parent Aware: Minnesota's Quality Rating System—a voluntary system being created tto improve quality and increase accountability in child care.

Dependent care assistance program (with pdf worksheet)

Parent Aware—Designed by child care providers, early learning professionals and parents, Minnesota’s voluntary Parent Aware Rating Tool is intended to support our state’s children by creating a rating system which identifies, recognizes and celebrates quality in early education.

Summer camp resources

Gaining the Edge presentation (requires Flash player)