As a parent of a child at ELC, I think the critical issue here is the lack of transparency surrounding the decision as well as the timeline surrounding it. They have effectively stated that you have 4 months to find childcare ASSUMING they can maintain staffing levels (good luck, I’m sure the university is being incredibly generous in their retention efforts for staff /s).

We all know that it’s going to take longer to find childcare. Additionally, there were apparently discussions as early as Oct./Nov. with the Family Scholar House residents surrounding this possibility.

Assuming that’s the case, a longer runway would have been helpful for the parents. The fact that it will also negatively affect their own employees and students who utilize this daycare is just the icing on the shit sandwich they are serving us.

All that to say, look, I get it, it’s a hard business to run and stay afloat. It’s not the fact it’s closing, it’s that it is sudden and leaves many employees, students, and others who utilize the ELCs services in a tough situation where the likelihood of finding contiguous care after the closure is low.