New Ideas for Handling Your Team’s Childcare Needs

In these days of dual-income households, almost every family will need help with childcare at some point. While data across the profession is limited, one survey reported that 65% of boarded veterinary surgeons have children.¹ Despite this, only 1% of veterinarians in private practice receive childcare as a benefit.² Lack of childcare options increases stress and can distract employees while at work, even when it doesn’t cause them to miss time in the practice at short notice. In a recent survey, 30% of veterinarians who were mothers reported that on-site childcare would make a major difference to them as working mothers, catapulting it into the top 3 on their wishlist.³

As independent veterinary practice owners, VMG members facing this reality have turned to a range of solutions. In this blog, we will review three options.

What is special about childcare in veterinary practice?

Since the pandemic, childcare has become harder to find, with parts of the country even becoming ‘childcare deserts.’⁴ Childcare is also increasingly expensive. In 2023 the national average cost of childcare for one year was $11,582 per child. That’s a lot of money, especially when added to payments for educational debt that most veterinarians and CVTs have to make.^5,6 No wonder a quarter or more of veterinary staff members are working second jobs to make ends meet.^6,7

Veterinary practice is inherently unpredictable, with early starts, late finishes, and emergencies at any hour. The fixed hours of typical childcare services may not be enough to support veterinarians and veterinary staff members who are also parents.

Childcare options for veterinary practices

How can a practice owner help their team members address this problem? While there are many choices, here are three to consider.

Childcare subsidies

One way to help team members who are parents is to provide a childcare stipend. Parents can use it to help defray some of their childcare costs and can choose the provider that best fits their needs. Providing team members with a stipend to help cover their child costs may qualify your business for a tax deduction, too.⁹ Talk with your tax professional if you’re thinking of providing this benefit.

Partnerships with local childcare providers

You can support parents in your practice team by joining an employee perks program. These programs offer discounts or even priority placements at participating childcare providers. They may be for regular care or be reserved for backup care if, for example, a family’s regular childcare center has to close for an emergency. You can also make an arrangement with an independent local childcare provider. This is one of the advantages of independent veterinary practice: Forming partnerships with other local businesses can be a win-win decision made at the clinic, not at a distant headquarters, that strengthens your ties with your community.

Onsite childcare

VMG member Dr. Paige Andersen of Timber Creek Veterinary Hospital says that her team members occasionally joked about needing onsite childcare; but when the pandemic hit, she realized it was no joke and created a private childcare center for team members. After 3 years, she says it was definitely the right decision for her practice and her team. Now children are close enough to see at lunchtime. Care is available from 30 minutes before the practice opens to whenever it closes, making frantic last-minute pickups and drop-offs a thing of the past.

Dr. Andersen shared four pointers for other veterinarians considering this step:

Call your local health department first

Your local health department can direct you to websites describing the types of licenses and the regulations, inspections, and other requirements you must fulfill. There’s a lot to learn; fortunately, Dr. Andersen says she found experts along the way who gave her very good advice.

Don’t expect to make money

Timber Creek’s employees pay a very reduced fee to access the center’s services. Grants from the government or other sources have helped defray the cost, but it is definitely a cost center, not a profit center.

Manage it like a business

Managing the childcare center means staying on top of repairs and day-to-day routines. Careful hiring is critical and takes time. Background checks, drug testing, and verifying qualifications are just three key areas that must be carefully reviewed. Each can take several weeks. You’re hiring people to take care of children; invest the time up front to reduce turnover and provide the best care.

A recruiting and retention boost

Dr. Andersen is committed to supporting every member of her team; providing safe and convenient childcare is an extension of that commitment. Dr Andersen says it is a powerful recruitment and retention tool. Without distracting concerns about where their children are and whether they are well cared for, her team members are happier and more focused on providing top quality veterinary care.

“Introducing our own on-site childcare has made our team stronger, more stable, and better able to help the pets we treat.” Dr. Paige Andersen. Owner, Timber Creek Veterinary Clinic, and VMG Member

Childcare and your veterinary practice

Your veterinarians’ and team members’ attention to patient care is as important to your practice as your physical equipment. Taking away concerns about childcare can make it easier for them to give those patients the best care possible. There are many different ways to approach this problem. While jumping into childcare with both feet might not be right for every clinic, it has definitely been right for Timber Creek. Whatever solution you choose, the most important step is to try it!

References

1. Colopy SA., Buhr KA, Bruckner K, Morello SL. “The intersection of personal and professional lives for male and female diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2015.” 2019; 255(11): 1283-1290.
2. Doherty C, McKay C, Ouedraogo FB. American Veterinary Medical Association, 2024 AVMA Report on the Economic State of the Veterinary Profession, 2024.
3. Wayne AS, Mueller MK, Rosenbaum M. Perceptions of Maternal Discrimination and Pregnancy/Postpartum Experiences Among Veterinary Mothers. Front Vet Sci. 2020; Mar 6;7:91. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00091.
4. Center for American Progress. Data Dashboard: An Overview of Child Care and Early Learning in the United States. Published 14 December 2023. Accessed 9 November 2024. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/data-dashboard-an-overview-of-child-care-and-early-learning-in-the-united-states/
5. Merck Animal Health 2023 Veterinary Wellbeing Study. Accessed 8 November 2024. https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/about-us/veterinary-wellbeing-and-scholarships
6. Merck Animal Health 2023 Veterinary Team Wellbeing Study. Accessed 8 November 2024. https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/about-us/veterinary-wellbeing-and-scholarships
7. NAVTA 2022 Demographic Survey Results: Pay and Education Have Increased; Debt and Burnout are Still Issues. National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. Accessed 9 November 2024. https://navta.net/documents-and-reports/
8. Kogan LR, Booth M, Rishniw M. Factors that impact recruitment and retention of veterinarians in emergency practice. 2022; 260(15): 1986-1992
9. Fallon-O’Leary D. Child Care Perks You Can Offer Employees. US Chamber of Commerce. Published 18 September 2024. Accessed 5 November 2024. https://www.uschamber.com/co/run/human-resources/helping-employees-with-child-care