Offering Child Care Support to Your Employees
Benefits
Supporting your employee's child care can help them retain talent and keep your staff's morale high. Recognizing and supporting employees who use child care is a smart business decision. Child care benefits can provide scheduling relief to employees which adds workplace satisfaction and reduces stress for parents in the workplace.
Evaluate which benefits will be most beneficial to your employees and cost-efficient for your business. Are your employees happy with their current child care program and would benefit most from child care subsidy? Or would they prefer to have their children at an on-site child care?
You can also collect data on what child care options are available in your community. There may be a shortage of certain types of care such as swing shift, infant care, or early morning hours.
Every family has different care needs, however, every parent wants safe and reliable care for their child. Providing well-rounded child care benefits helps all parents. By asking for employee feedback before you provide support, you show your employees that you care about their family's wellbeing and you value their ideas.
Support Options
Predictable Employee Schedules
An unpredictable work schedule can make it difficult for working parents to schedule for their child care needs. Rotating schedules make it difficult for families to access consistent and quality child care because most programs cannot accommodate those family's schedules.
Parent and Caregiver Employee Resource Group (ERGS)
These resource groups build communities, connections, and resources for employees with caregiving responsibilities for children, family members, and loved ones. ERGs can help ensure parents at your organization can find the support they need. These groups can meet online or during lunch. They may be for parents, or you can plan events for both parents and children.
Offer Paid Family Leave for All Caregivers
Data from the Department of Labor shows that 70% of fathers who take parental leave for the birth of a child take less than 10 days. New fathers want to take time with their child but we haven't create that corporate culture where this important leave is accepted.
Child Care Subsidies
Child care is expensive, even if a parent only has one child in care. In some cases, a family's child care can cost as much as college tuition. Employers can help reduce the cost by simply subsidizing. You may offer direct payments to your employees with children and they can spend the money on what child care works best for their family, or businesses can partially subsidize the child care cost by paying child care programs directly.
On-Site Child Care
On-site child care is a highly effective but costly benefit for businesses. On-site child care means that parents can visit their child on lunch break and during commutes, rather than only see their child when they drop off or pick them up from child care.
Companies have options on how to open an on-site child care. You may want to connect with an outside company that specializes in running child care programs. There are national organizations you can explore, or a local child care program may be willing to expand and open a site for your company. You may also consider running a family child care network where you collaborate with small in-home licensed child care programs to provide care to your employees.
Some well known companies that have found success utilizing on-site child care include Google, Patagonia, Home Depot, Cisco, and Intermountain Health Care.
Flexible Employee Schedules
Providing flexible schedules is an effective and inexpensive way to support your employees. This allows working parents the chance to work without missing their children's activities and obligations. Flexible schedules work for all employees and give an opportunity for parents to meet family responsibilities including caring for elderly family members or a loved one with a disability or illness.
Child Care Capacity, Vacancies and Rate Data for Cities in Cache and Box Elder Counties in Utah for 2026
Bear River Child Care Resource Agency analyzed the capacity and vacancy rates of licensed child care facilities in Cache and Box Elder Counties, examining data by city and geographic area. Additionally, the population of each area for reference was included. Cities and areas with a vacancy rate below 15% are highlighted in yellow. Those with a vacancy rate under 10% are classified as Child Care Deserts, based on the definition that such areas experience significantly higher demand for licensed child care than available capacity. These figures are highlighted in red.
Between spring 2025 and spring 2026, overall licensed child care capacity declined by 100 slots. This decrease occurred despite the addition of two newly licensed child care centers, but 10 less family child care programs resulted in a net loss of available spaces. Capacity and vacancy data were sourced from the State of Utah Care About Childcare database as of May 2026. (See summary below data tables). Because there is no licensing care in Rich County they are not on the tables,
Average cost of care for infant a month in a licensed program for Box Elder = $853
Average cost of care for a 4-year-old a month in a licensed program for Box Elder = $711
Average cost of care for infant a month in a licensed program for Cache = $808
Average cost of care for a 4-year-old a month in a licensed program for Cache = $693
|
City |
Center |
Family |
Capacity |
Capacity Change (from a year ago) |
Vacancies |
Infant Vacancies |
Vacancy Rate |
Population |
|
Amalga |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-16 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
500 |
|
Brigham City |
3 |
11 |
320 |
+22 |
69 |
6 |
22% |
19,404 |
|
Corinne |
0 |
0 |
0 |
= |
0 |
0 |
0 |
727 |
|
Elwood |
0 |
0 |
0 |
= |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1249 |
|
Garland |
1 |
0 |
104 |
= |
51 |
8 |
49% |
2548 |
|
Honeyville |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-16 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1684 |
|
Hyde Park |
0 |
1 |
16 |
= |
5 |
2 |
31% |
4700 |
|
Hyrum |
0 |
8 |
128 |
-8 |
16 |
7 |
0 |
8403 |
|
Lewiston |
0 |
0 |
0 |
= |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1811 |
|
Logan |
8 |
17 |
872 |
-8 |
155 |
25 |
18% |
51,619 |
|
Nibley |
1 |
5 |
274 |
= |
101 |
5 |
37% |
7087 |
|
North Logan |
0 |
5 |
80 |
-29 |
18 |
2 |
23% |
11,176 |
|
Perry |
0 |
2 |
31 |
-16 |
7 |
1 |
23% |
5094 |
|
Plymouth |
0 |
0 |
0 |
= |
0 |
0 |
0 |
432 |
|
Providence |
0 |
3 |
48 |
= |
22 |
8 |
46% |
7595 |
|
Richmond |
0 |
1 |
16 |
+16 |
16 |
7 |
100% |
2730 |
|
River Heights |
0 |
1 |
8 |
= |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1982 |
|
Smithfield |
2 |
9 |
416 |
-8 |
99 |
5 |
24% |
11,811 |
|
Thatcher |
0 |
1 |
16 |
= |
5 |
2 |
31% |
1056 |
|
Tremonton |
1 |
3 |
108 |
-37 |
3 |
2 |
3% |
8,882 |
|
Wellsville |
0 |
3 |
40 |
= |
12 |
2 |
30% |
3849 |
|
Willard |
0 |
2 |
32 |
= |
4 |
2 |
13% |
1914 |
Child Care Supply Summary (Capacity & Access Focus)
This was summarized with the assistance of AI. All content was reviewed and edited for accuracy.
This data shows how child care is distributed across communities and highlights gaps in access, especially in rural areas.Child Care is Concentrated in a Few Communities
Most of the available child care slots are in a small number of cities:
- Logan (872 slots), Smithfield (416), Brigham City (320), and Nibley (274)
- These communities serve as regional hubs, likely supporting families from surrounding areas.
What this means: Families outside these hubs often rely on traveling for care.
Many Communities Have No Licensed Child CareSeveral towns have zero capacity:
- Amalga, Corinne, Elwood, Honeyville, Lewiston, Plymouth
What this means: These are true child care deserts, where families must leave their community to find care.
Very Limited Options in Smaller CommunitiesSome areas have child care, but capacity is very low:
- River Heights (8), Hyde Park (16), Richmond (16), Thatcher (16)
- Willard (32), Perry (31), Wellsville (40), Providence (48)
What this means: Even when care exists, families may have very few choices, and programs may not meet all needs (hours, ages served, etc.).
Capacity is Declining in Several AreasSeveral communities have lost child care capacity over the past year:
- North Logan (-29), Tremonton (-37), Amalga (-16), Honeyville (-16), Perry (-16)
- Smaller decreases in Logan (-8), Smithfield (-8), and Hyrum (-8)
Only a few areas increased capacity:
- Brigham City (+22), Richmond (+16)
What this means: Overall supply is unstable, and continued declines could increase access challenges.
Infant Care Remains LimitedAcross the region, infant slots are very few, even in larger communities:
- Logan: 25 infant openings
- Nibley: 5
- Many smaller areas: 0–2
What this means: Infant care is one of the hardest types of care for families to find.
Key Takeaways
- Child care deserts exist in multiple communities with no licensed care
- Access is uneven, with most capacity concentrated in a few cities
- Small communities have very limited options, even when care exists
- Capacity is declining in several areas, raising concerns about future supply
- Infant care is extremely limited across the region
Opportunities for Action
- Expand child care in desert and low-capacity communities
- Support providers to open or grow programs, especially in rural areas
- Increase focus on infant care expansion
- Stabilize existing programs to prevent further capacity loss
Why Licensed Care?
Employers might want their employees to use licensed child care programs for several reasons that benefit both the company and the employees.
Employee Productivity
- Reduced distractions: Employees with children in licensed child care can focus on their work, knowing that their kids are in a safe and structured environment.
- Fewer disruptions: Licensed programs often have predictable hours, meaning parents are less likely to miss work or leave early due to unreliable or inconsistent care.
Employee Retention
- Higher job satisfaction: Employees are more likely to stay with companies that support their child care needs, reducing turnover rates.
- Attractive benefit: Promoting licensed child care or even providing access to it can make a company more attractive to job seekers, especially working parents.
Reduced Absenteeism
- Reliable care: Employees are less likely to call in sick or leave work due to issues with their child care arrangements, reducing overall absenteeism.
- Healthier children: Licensed child care centers typically have better hygiene practices and health protocols, which can reduce the spread of illnesses that might keep parents home.
Compliance and Safety
- Regulated environment: Licensed child care programs must meet certain safety, educational, and staffing standards, which means employees are less likely to face emergencies or concerns about their child’s well-being.
- Background checks: Licensed programs often require background checks and proper certification for staff, providing peace of mind to employees.
Work-Life Balance
- Improved mental health: When employees know their children are being well cared for, they experience lower stress levels, which leads to better mental well-being and productivity at work.
- Flexible working arrangements: Some licensed child care programs offer flexibility in hours, which can align with non-standard working hours, supporting parents with diverse schedules.
Promotes Diversity and Inclusion
- Supports working parents: Providing or promoting licensed child care helps retain and attract a diverse workforce, including women and parents of young children, promoting gender equality and inclusiveness in the workplace.
- Equal opportunity: It ensures that parents from different socioeconomic backgrounds can access reliable care, supporting all employees equally.
Positive Company Culture
- Family-friendly environment: Encouraging the use of licensed child care helps create a culture that values work-life balance, which can enhance employee morale and engagement.
- Corporate social responsibility: Supporting licensed child care aligns with corporate social responsibility efforts by showing concern for employees’ families and contributing to the broader well-being of the community.
Fewer Legal Liabilities
- Peace of mind for employers: Licensed child care centers are often insured and adhere to legal and safety standards, reducing the employer's indirect liability compared to unlicensed alternatives.
Supporting employees' use of licensed child care programs can lead to a more productive, loyal, and satisfied workforce, while also helping the company maintain a strong reputation for supporting families and creating a healthy work environment.
If you have questions please contact childcare.help@usu.edu or 435-797-1552.