Revolutionizing Childcare: Measuring Supply and Demand Gaps
At Upfront, we are committed to leveraging data to create meaningful, actionable insights. Our innovative work with the Maryland Family Network involved developing the first real-time childcare desert maps in the county.
Consolidating Multiple Databases
We began by aggregating data from various critical sources:
Licensing Databases: Information on licensed childcare providers.
Quality Databases (Maryland EXCELS): Data on the quality ratings of childcare programs.
Provider Data: Direct data from the providers themselves.
Visualizing Supply vs. Demand
Using the consolidated data, the maps visualize the supply of childcare programs in relation to the number of children under five years old.
The maps highlight areas with significant gaps between supply and demand and identify where additional resources and support are needed.
Five Maps in One
We took our analysis a step further by breaking down the data into detailed visualizations, creating five maps in one. This in-depth approach allowed us to pinpoint gaps at multiple levels:
State
County Level
Congressional Districts
Legislative Districts- Senate
Legislative Districts- House
Our real-time childcare desert maps provide a clear and actionable view of where childcare resources are lacking, enabling policymakers, community leaders, and families to make informed decisions.
