Three Childcare Programs to Close in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — It is no secret the Duluth area is in a childcare shortage crisis. And just as new daycare spots open up other options shut down.

Right now, childcare services from the YWCA in West Duluth, Observation Hill Children’s Center and Building Blocks will be closing as soon as November. City and state lawmakers said the closures will affect around 200 children in the area, including, of course, their parents.

On Tuesday the Mayor’s Child Care Task Force met at Aunty’s Child Care in Duluth to talk about the issues around childcare in the city. The owner of Aunty’s says the business is tougher than you might think. For her it’s not a money maker at all.

“Many people view the issues of childcare and think they have solutions. When they really don’t understand the fundamentals of the issues. They say, you know it costs me 53 dollars a day to bring my baby there they must be making so much money. But they don’t realize our margins are actually about 1 percent. And any changes are just very hard to sustain in this business,” explained April Westman.

For some parents, like Sydney Mullen, losing the YWCA childcare program is a double hit to her life because not only do her two kids go to the program, but she also works there, too. A statement from her reads:

“This closure is one of many we’ve seen in childcare centers, and it places a significant strain on families. With long waitlists at other facilities and the financial burden on parents who cannot afford to stay home, many are left with very limited options. The uncertainty this brings has been overwhelming for both the employees and the families we serve, as none of us anticipated this situation.”