McCook Childcare Providers Take in New Families After Daycare Closes

Feb. 3, 2022, 7 p.m. ·

Room with toys like a unicorn on the ground. Walls are yellow, purple and red.
Hillcrest Little Folks Childcare Center told parents in December they would no longer be in business after February 11, 2022. (Photo courtesy Milva McGhee)

One of only three daycares in McCook and Red Willow County will close next week because of staffing shortages. About 26 families had to look for new childcare providers. Bee Little Childcare Center and BlessEng’s Childcare took them in on short notice.

BlessEng’s owner Chelsea Eng said she made sure she could take the families affected because it was the right thing to do.

"I had more families reach out to me than anything, just because at that time, they're like, ‘We just got to find someplace for our kids to go," she said.

Eng picked up about four families right away and still has open slots for other families. She was devastated to hear Hillcrest Little Folks Childcare Center was closing.

"Not only do you have families without childcare, but you also have people without jobs," she said. "That's devastating to see that those people need to go find new jobs that they might have had for years there.. and now they're just without."

Eng said even though most families were able to find new providers, childcare shortages are still a problem in the county and nationwide.