New report highlights childcare issues for Watertown

WATERTOWN S.D. (KELO) -- With the recent childcare shortage sweeping across South Dakota, the city of Watertown looks at what it would take to address the issue.

Sarah Foust, Welfare Director of Codington County, said a recent report revealed some huge issues in their childcare system.

"The first thing is Watertown has a higher percentage of mothers who are working with children than other mothers across the state of South Dakota, which turns into a workforce issue," Foust told KELOLAND News.

According to a County Community Services Commissioner’s Report, Codington County has 80.8% of children under age six and 88.2% of school-age children reside in working families (e.g., both parents in two-parent households are working and either a single mother or single father with children are working).

Foust said that working parents are only one part of the issue.

"The other piece of it is looking at the gaps of what we have for childcare, the need for childcare is significant," Foust said. "We currently have almost 600 additional spots needed for kids under the age of 6, and over 2,500 spots for school-age children."

According to the Commissioners Report, Watertown would need a total of 3,397 open slots from schools and childcare facilities to address the town's needs.