Some local daycare centers have had to shut down because they’re feeling the impacts of Coronavirus. Meanwhile, others are still open, and parents there are grateful they’re able to get help during these tough times. However parents who have access to childcare is far and few.
In Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales’ stay at home order essential businesses include ‘child care facilities that are providing services that enable employees exempted in this order to work as permitted.'
So what exactly does that mean? It means only essential employees can get access to childcare right now.
As it stands, if a parent wants their child to go to daycare, they must sign documentation with the daycare stating they are in fact essential.
Meanwhile, parents who are considered non-essential employees are likely now required to watch their children at home. Cesar Flores, the director at Molina Neighborhood Center says that can be tough for the family.
"We have a lot of parents that fit that bill,” said Flores. “They have children at home that they're also homeschooling for school. When you have two or three kids and you're trying to homeschool by yourself, it's a little bit difficult to homeschool your child."
It has also been tough for the Molina Neighborhood Center because student enrollment has dropped 40% in the last month.
"It affects our childcare fees, it affects our food program, and it affects everything that we have,” said Flores. “So we're gonna be hurting now and for the next six months.">
However for working parents, like Patsy Susser and Amanda Reed, who are still able to take their children there, they’re just thankful they still have access to child care.
"It's really nice because I got to bring my son in when his daycare closed down,” said Susser. “And it gave me the chance to keep working and have somewhere to take my child."
“Without the childcare services open I wouldn't have childcare,” said Reed. “I wouldn't be able to be essential to my job and continue to go everyday."