Alameda County is required by the California Department of Education, Child Development Division, to complete a child care needs assessment at least once every five years that examines the extent to which child care demand exceeds supply in the county. BPA was contracted by the Alameda County General Services Agency to conduct a comprehensive child care needs assessment the County. This needs assessment did the following:
- estimated the child care demand and supply in the county at the county, city and for some areas, zip code level;
- documented gaps in service by age of child, geographic region, and family income; and
- examined the cost of child care for families in the county.
Findings from this report informed policy makers, employers, advocates, families, and other stakeholders about the status of child care in the county and help to develop new child care policies and priorities. The report included 2000 census data when available. We also provided the county with a tool so that they can easily update the needs assessment as more zip code-level data from the U.S. Census 2000 becomes available.

Publications:

Alameda County Child Care Needs Assessment: Final Report (Feb, 2002)
This report has been commissioned by the Planning Council to help inform child care policies and priorities based on the current status of child care in the County. It also serves to meet reporting requirements to the California Department of Education, Child Development Division http://www.co.alameda.ca.us/childcare/needs_assess_2002.pdf