A daycare on the Crow Reservation has discovered gaps in Montana’s scholarship program that help families afford childcare.
Non-profit Mountain Shadow Association opened the Little Chickadee Early Learning Center in January. It’s the only daycare in Lodge Grass.
They knew families would need scholarships from Best Beginnings to afford tuition. But when they began helping families apply for the program, it didn’t go to plan.
“To date, we do not have any of our applications approved,” said Executive Director Megkain Doyle.
Little Chickadee has now been open for four months and collected no tuition. The state scholarship program requires legal documentation for things like custody or family plans when there is an absent parent.
But that doesn’t work for many local families.
“In the Crow cultural system, there are many people who believe that it would be their obligation to step forward as the parent of that child,” Doyle said.
These are often grandparents, aunts or uncles. Doyle says many family members don’t want legal guardianship or see it as a necessity. She says this has caused families to not apply for the program.
Other tribal communities face the same challenge. Callie Parr is the Tribal Coordinator for child welfare advocacy organization Zero to Five.
“This is one of our biggest issues is definitely the Best Beginnings and understanding it and being able to have families access it,” Callie Parr, Tribal Coordinator for child welfare advocacy organization Zero to Five, said.
She says some bills moving through the legislature now include language to avoid these pitfalls.
In February, Zero to Five stepped in to support Little Chickadee and helped them meet with the Governor’s office and other lawmakers. In a statement on the issue, Governor Greg Gianforte said increasing access to child care is a “top priority”.
Back in Lodge Grass, Doyle says she’s grateful for the philanthropic support that’s kept their doors open while they search for solutions.