OKC Child Care Providers Prepare For Teacher Strike

With a teacher strike is looking like more of a likelihood on April 2nd, childcare providers are looking at way they can handle the extra load of kids.

“We have to think about our DHS licensing and the capacity we have to house those children,” said the YMCA’s Rachel Klein.

Klein said that Churches the YMCA works with may be able to provide extra room.

Volunteers who have passed an OSBI background check could provide the extra supervision.

“We want to be there to support our parents that need somewhere to go,” said Klein.

Meanwhile, groups like the Rainbow Fleet which matches families with available day and after school care programs, prepares to start hearing from desperate parents.

“Any type of an issue where parents suddenly need care- people call rainbow fleet quite often,” said Rainbow fleet Executive Director Carrie Williams.

You can check daycare availability at Rainbowfeet.org.

We checked with DHS, and it said an exception to child care requirements can be made on programs that last less than 8 weeks.

That may be applied if there is a strike.