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For many working parents, the workday doesn’t start when they clock in. Before many employees ever clock in, they’re already managing school drop-offs, child care schedules, transportation logistics, and the daily coordination that helps keep their families on track.

When child care falls through, work is often impacted too.

Employees may arrive late, miss shifts, reduce hours, or leave the workforce entirely because they can’t find reliable, affordable care that fits their schedule.

That’s why Texas is placing new focus on helping employers better understand how child care connects directly to workforce stability, retention, and business success.

Our partners at the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) announced the launch of a new online Child Care Resources for Employers webpage designed to help Texas businesses support the child care needs of their workforce.

For employers across the Rural Capital Area, this resource arrives at an important time.

Child Care Is a Workforce Issue

Employers across nearly every industry continue working to attract and retain talent.

At the same time, many working families are balancing rising costs, changing schedules, and limited child care availability.

Those challenges don’t stay at home. They show up in workplaces every day through absenteeism, turnover, scheduling disruptions, and workforce participation gaps.

Reliable child care helps employees stay connected to the workforce. It also helps businesses maintain productivity, reduce disruptions, and improve employee morale.

That’s why conversations around workforce development increasingly include child care access alongside training, education, transportation, and career pathways.

A New Resource for Texas Employers

The new TWC webpage was created following the passage of Senate Bill 1265 during the 89th Texas Legislature.

One of the strongest messages throughout the new TWC resource is simple: ask employees what they need.

The webpage encourages employers to better understand the child care challenges their workforce may be experiencing through surveys and direct feedback.

Questions include:

• Are employees struggling to find child care near home or work?
• Is child care creating financial strain?
• Do workers need different types of care or scheduling flexibility?
• Are employees satisfied with their current child care arrangements?

That information can help employers identify realistic ways to support working families while strengthening workforce stability.

For many businesses, the biggest barrier isn’t willingness to help. It’s simply not knowing where to begin.

Supporting Families Can Strengthen Workforce Retention

The new TWC webpage highlights several ways employers can support child care access, including:

• On-site or near-site child care
• Employer-child care partnerships
• Child care financial assistance
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Backup child care options
• Child care concierge and marketplace services

The resource also shares research-backed strategies and tools from organizations including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Best Place for Working Parents®.

According to TWC, employers that support child care needs may see benefits including:

• Improved employee morale
• Reduced absences
• Increased productivity
• Higher retention

Even small adjustments can make a meaningful difference for working families.

Flexible scheduling, understanding employee needs, and connecting workers to available resources can help reduce stress for parents while helping employers maintain a stronger workforce.

Why This Matters in the Rural Capital Area

The Rural Capital Area continues experiencing rapid growth across multiple industries and communities.

As employers compete for talent, workforce retention becomes just as important as recruitment.

Supporting working families is increasingly part of that conversation.

At Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area, we regularly see how child care access impacts workforce participation, career advancement, and long-term economic mobility for families throughout our region.

Strong workforce systems depend on more than job openings alone. They also depend on removing barriers that prevent people from fully participating in the workforce.

Child care remains one of the most important pieces of that puzzle.

Building a Stronger Workforce Together

The launch of TWC’s Child Care Resources for Employers webpage reflects a growing recognition that workforce success and family success are deeply connected.

When working parents have stable child care options, businesses benefit. Communities benefit. The economy benefits.

Most importantly, families gain greater stability and opportunity.

Texas employers now have another tool to help support the people who keep their businesses running every day.