Paso Robles City Council
May 19, 2026

Child Care Slot Expansion Study
Market Analysis and Feasibility Study
Background
Economic Development Strategic Plan
● Child care identified as a critical need
● Workforce Development and Entrepreneurship Program
● Action Plan Item 3.4 Implement Child Care Provider
Development Program
City Data
Market Analysis and Feasibility Study
● Surveys & Phone Calls
● Focus Groups
Child Care Landscape
and Baseline Data
Baseline Data: Child Care Businesses
1,578 licensed child care slots
81 licensed child care businesses
license-exempt programs
Baseline Data: Child Care Payment Assista
Baseline Data: Challenges for Families
Baseline Data: Challenges for Families
Child Care Survey
Responses
Survey Responses
Survey Responses: Extended Hour Care
Survey Responses: Slot Expansion
Survey Responses: Ease of Expansion
Survey Themes and Comments
Expanded hours don’t make sense
financially
● “That would be a lot of working
hours, my schedule is 6a.m. -
6p.m.”
Expanded hours would be a hardship
● … ”if I open weekends I would lose
time with my family”
Flexibility for families is important
● “There are families that need us to be more flexible with hours and I always try to help by opening very early and closing late”
Survey Themes and Comments (continued)
Concerns about under-enrollment
● "With the state’s new T-K [Transitional Kindergarten] program accepting children as young as 4 (and actually 3 in some instances) into the public school system, our program is going to need to change if we want to keep it a valuable asset to not only the church we serve but also the community as a whole.”
● “I don’t have any children enrolled in my program. I’ve been licensed for over a year, and I don’ t have any families because the program [that helps familes pay for child care] doesn’t have the funds to enroll new families. Parents don’t want to pay licensed care rates.” Child Care Focus Gro
Feedback
Focus Group Themes
Parent feedback on barriers
(according to attendees)
● Affordability
● Paperwork and vaccination
requirements
Other Concerns
● Not receiving calls
● Not profitable to give up weekend
with family for one or two children
● Pressure to stay flexible so don’t
lose families
● Schools increasingly enrolling
children into T-K and after-school
Facilities issues
● Space
● Landlords
Workforce Issues
● Finding employees
● Full day and extended hours is
challenging
● Need time with their own families
● Licensing requirements are limiting
Finding 1: Child care
businesses have
openings for children
that are not being use
Recommendations:
 Survey local families
 Work with local employers to extend
navigation supports
 Invest in child care business marketing
Finding 2: Perception that
families are choosing non -
licensed child care due to co
Recommendations:
❖ Survey local families
❖ Invest in quality improvement
❖ Explore options for subsidizing child care
❖ Promote family friendly practices
Finding 3: Child care
business expansion
limited by child care
workforce and tight
budgets
Recommendation:
❖ Advocate for increased child care
workforce compensation and recognition
Finding 4: Child care
business expansion is
limited by physical space
Recommendations:
 Distribute grants
 Review existing policies and practices that are barriers to expansion
 Incentivize inclusion of child care in building projects  Incentivize renting to child care businesses
 Contribute to advocacy
Thank You