Minnesota Department of Economic Security
News Release

December 3, 1997          

Heidi Stennes
MDES
(612) 296-3340

New partnership provides child care listings

to job seekers at metro area Workforce Centers

ST. PAUL - - Searching for a job takes a considerable amount of time and energy.  For job seekers who lack adequate child care, it can be difficult if not impossible to devote the necessary attention to their job search. 

Now, when job seekers come to metro area Minnesota Workforce Centers for job-search assistance, they can search a database of online childcare listings.  The childcare listings are provided thanks to the newly formed partnership between Minnesota Child Care Innovations Inc. of Burnsville and the Minnesota Department of Economic Security (MDES).

“This is just one more reason why the Minnesota Workforce Centers are truly your one-stop center for employment services for job seekers and employers,” said MDES Commissioner R. Jane Brown.  “As a result of this new partnership, job seekers are better able to concentrate on their job search.  Employers receive new employees who are free of the sometimes stressful and time-consuming process of finding the appropriate childcare and are better able to devote their energy to work.”

All job seekers have to do is stop in at their Workforce Center Resource Area in the seven-county metro area to review the online childcare listings.  The listings are provided free of charge.  Job seekers can view licensed childcare homes, centers, preschools, camps and sitting services.  The system is equipped with guidance and evaluation tools.

“The innovative childcare listing service that we are providing through the Minnesota Workforce Centers allows job seekers to quickly and conveniently locate quality and licensed childcare,” said Kathy Kacher, president of MCCI.  “By making this information accessible seamlessly and quickly, we are finding that job seekers are more apt to take advantage of this innovative program.  We are certain our service will lift much of the pressure off the job seeker.

MCCI provides online child and elder care resources to more than 100,000 employees at more than 35 companies.