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Area child care providers see declining enrollments Date published: 1/16/2010
BY BILL FREEHLING Fredericksburg-area businesses that provide child care and early education services report declining enrollments as families cut costs amid a tough economy. "We're just not getting what we used to," said Rose Marie Ball, director of the Children's House of Old Town Montessori school on Fredericksburg's Sophia Street. Ball said applications for the program, which is for children ages 3 through 6, have declined over the past couple of years. This year the school is down to 20 children, 10 fewer than it's licensed for. "It's just really hard for places like this," she said. She's not alone. Most area child care providers contacted for this article report that enrollments have dropped over the past two years. The same trend is going on throughout the nation, according to numerous published reports and surveys. People who get laid off no longer need child care, and others have pulled their children from the centers and arranged less-expensive care with family members. For some home-based child care providers, that's a way to make a little extra income. Minnieland, which has numerous area child care locations, has seen a decline in number of children this past year after having nearly 100 percent enrollment at its schools a few years ago, said marketing director Gina Dabney. She noted that enrollment has been inching up lately. Renate Breakiron estimates enrollment is down 25 percent over the past couple of years at her Creative Childcare Academy and Camp, which she runs with her husband, James. The Breakirons, who are known around the school as "Mr. and Mrs. B," have two locations in Spotsylvania: one on Tidewater Trail and the other at Harrison Crossing. Breakiron said parents who work for the federal government or other high-paying employers have kept their children in the program, but others have lost their jobs or needed to cut expenses. She added that the area's unemployment rate is lower than most, and considering the economy thinks business is "doing great." Overall enrollment is up from last year at the KinderCare Learning Centers location that Jane McGill runs in Lee's Hill, but she said a lot of the children are there part time. Parents are also looking closely at pricing and being selective in what they'll pay for. Fredericksburg Academy's pre-kindergarten program had a slight decrease in enrollment this academic year that didn't affect the program, said Beth Hunley, the school's communications director. The school may add a half-day pre-kindergarten program next year if there's demand from parents. Bill Freehling: 540/374-5405
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