Item:
Title
Establishment of the Durham County Early Childhood Task Force
Body
Date of BOCC Meeting: September 28, 2026
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is requested to adopt the Resolution establishing the Durham County Early Childhood Task Force and authorize the Task Force to begin its work in accordance with the purposes and responsibilities set forth in the Resolution.
Access to affordable, high-quality childcare is an important resource for Durham County families and also has broader implications for workforce participation, employee recruitment and retention economic stability, and economic development. Families with children from birth through age three may face particular challenges in locating childcare that is available, accessible, and affordable.
The proposed Durham County Early Childhood Task Force will bring together representatives from local government, early childhood education, and childcare providers, institutions of higher education, the business and workforce development communities, nonprofit and community organizations, parents and caregivers, and other stakeholders with relevant expertise or experience. The Task Force will focus specifically on childcare for children from birth through age three.
The Task Force will examine Durham County’s existing childcare landscape, including the availability and capacity of care, costs to families’ accessibility provider capacity and sustainability, and other barriers affecting families’ ability to obtain childcare. The Task Force will also examine the relationship between childcare and Durham County’s broader economic and workforce needs, including the potential economic development benefits associated with improving access to childcare.
At the conclusion of its work, the Task Force will present findings and recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners identifying potential short term and long-term strategies to improve the availability accessibility affordability and sustainability of childcare for children from birth through age three in Durham County. Any recommendations requiring County funding, creation of a County program or other formal County action will be presented to the Board for separate consideration and approval
Alignment with Strategic Plan: This item aligns with the County’s Strategic Goal 3: Safe Community and Goal 5: Accountable, Efficient, and Visionary Government
Resource Persons: Donna Rewalt, Durham County Extension Director and Ileana K. Vink, Early Childhood Coordinator.
County Manager’s Recommendation: The County Manager recommends that the Board adopts the Resolution establishing the Durham County Early Childhood Task Force and authorizes the Task Force to begin its work in accordance with the purposes and responsibilities set forth in the Resolution.
Signature
County Manager: ____________________________