Washington County-area families are being asked to take part in a workforce/childcare study happening over the next few months.

Washington Economic Development Group Executive Director Mary Audia says WEDG is commissioning a study by First Children’s Finance to study the county and the challenges and opportunities available post-COVID-19. Audia says she will be having her first meetings with First Children’s Finance in early August and the study should be completed by November, “So we’ll be able to pull out data about how childcare is affecting the workforce especially post pandemic. You know, because people were given the opportunity maybe to stay home that way they could watch their kids, they didn’t have to pay for childcare at that point. Or on the other end of the spectrum we had childcare businesses that closed up that they just couldn’t make it.”

Audia says surveys will be sent this fall to working families, schools, and employers throughout the county to get a diverse look of what is happening in the area and what’s needed. The cities of Washington, Wellman, Kalona, Riverside, Ainsworth, and Brighton have all contributed so far to help commission this study.