Research Partners: United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley (UWCV), Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF)

Dates: Wednesday, July 23rd 10:00 – 11:00 AM and 2:00 – 3:00 PM; Monday, July 28th 3:00 – 4:00 PM; and Wednesday,

July 30th 10:00 – 11:00 AM

Registration: Click here for registration link

Purpose of the Study and Invitation to Participate: You are invited to take part in a focus group exploring child care supply and demand in the Chattahoochee Valley region, with a particular focus on the challenges faced by parents who are currently out of the workforce or have experienced unstable employment. This discussion seeks to understand child care arrangements and preferences, and the role child care access plays in workforce participation and retention, from the perspective of employers like yourself. Your insights will contribute to regional strategies aimed at strengthening workforce engagement, improving child care accessibility, and supporting regional economic growth.

Background: This initiative is funded through the Recompete Strategy Development Grant and is in collaboration with the National Association of Counties (NACo) Child Care Supply Network and the Georgia Child Care Accelerator (coordinated by the Georgia Municipal Association and led by the Low Income Investment Fund), launched in Spring 2024 and led locally by the Columbus Consolidated Government. The effort builds on foundational research highlighting child care as a critical issue for economic development across the region.

What Participation Involves: The session will involve a guided discussion with a small group of business leaders from key industries in the Chattahoochee Valley. It will last approximately 1 hour and will be held virtually. With your consent, it will be recorded to ensure the accuracy of the findings.

Voluntary Participation: Participation in this study is entirely voluntary. You are welcome to withdraw at any point, and you may skip any questions you choose during the session.

Confidentiality and Data Handling: Participation and information shared will be kept as anonymous as possible, and names will not be used in the final report. Recordings will be stored securely and accessed only by the research team.

Discussion Topics:

• How child care availability affects your employees’ recruitment, retention, and productivity

• Perceptions of existing child care options in the region

• Interest in exploring employer-supported solutions for child care access

Benefits: There is no direct compensation, but your input will inform a broader regional strategy to support working families and strengthen the local economy.

Contact Information: If you have questions, please contact: Chelsea Robles, PhD, Director of Advisory Services, LIIF | 332.230.2823 Ext 23 | [email protected] or Jennifer St John, Senior Vice President, UWCV | 762.250.0647 | [email protected]