Groundwork Ohio Roadshow 2026: Auglaize & Shelby Counties
On October 14, Groundwork Ohio's Roadshow 2026 visited Auglaize and Shelby Counties to hear from local leaders, early childhood professionals, employers, and community members about the challenges and opportunities facing young children and families.
Throughout the day, conversations focused on child care access and affordability, workforce challenges, early intervention, and the importance of community partnerships in supporting families.
Auglaize County: Family & Children First Council Meeting
We kicked off the day at the Auglaize County Educational Service Center, where we joined the Auglaize County Family & Children First Council meeting and held a community roundtable. Our time in Auglaize County was co-hosted by Jennifer Free, Director of the Auglaize County Family & Children First Council, and Renee Kholer, Superintendent of the Auglaize County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
Conversations focused on early intervention, family supports, and connecting young children with the services they need.
During the meeting, local leaders shared updates on early intervention, including a 35% increase in referrals, attributed in part to outreach to physicians' offices and collaboration with preschool programs.
The meeting also highlighted the important role of the FCFC in coordinating services, connecting families with resources, and strengthening collaboration among local agencies. These efforts are particularly important for families navigating multiple systems of care and support.
Auglaize County: Community Roundtable Discussion
Following the FCFC meeting, we brought together more than 20 community partners for a roundtable discussion focused on the challenges and opportunities facing young children and families in Auglaize County.
Child care availability and affordability emerged as significant concerns, particularly for families working in manufacturing. Many local employers operate 12-hour shifts that do not align with traditional child care hours, leaving parents with limited options. Participants shared concerns about children being left home alone or caring for younger siblings because of gaps in available care and after-school programming.
Families also face challenges finding providers who can accommodate specific needs, including children experiencing separation anxiety or requiring additional supports.
Participants discussed concerns and misconceptions surrounding state-certified child care, as well as the financial challenges families encounter when their earnings increase but they lose eligibility for assistance.
The conversation also highlighted barriers facing breastfeeding mothers returning to work, including access to appropriate spaces for pumping and storing breast milk.
Workforce recruitment and retention were another major focus. Early childhood professionals discussed the significant differences in compensation, benefits, and professional support between early childhood educators and K-12 teachers. Low wages, rising education costs, and limited opportunities for advancement make it difficult to attract and retain qualified professionals.
Participants also raised concerns about child care reimbursement policies. Providers receiving publicly funded child care assistance are reimbursed based on attendance rather than enrollment, creating financial uncertainty even as they must maintain staffing and cover fixed operating costs.
State Sen. Susan Manchester (R-Waynesfield), representing Ohio's 12th Senate District, and Cameron Warner from U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan's (R-OH-4) office joined the discussion, hearing directly from local leaders about these challenges and potential solutions.
Community Resources and Opportunities for Collaboration
Alongside these challenges, participants highlighted several local resources and collaborative efforts supporting families across Auglaize County.
Early literacy was one area of success, with the United Way of Auglaize County highlighting its work with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which provides books to more than 2,000 local children.
Participants also discussed the importance of partnerships among pediatricians, early intervention providers, Head Start, and community organizations. These relationships help connect families with services, although participants emphasized the need for better communication between systems, particularly as children transition from preschool to kindergarten.
Other collaborative efforts included local support groups for kinship caregivers and a community emergency response team that meets monthly to address homelessness.
Housing availability and transportation were also identified as significant challenges. Participants noted a shortage of affordable housing and rental options, limited transportation, and the absence of a local homeless shelter.
The discussion reinforced the importance of building on existing community resources while exploring new approaches to child care, including employer partnerships, expanded child care hours, and opportunities for faith-based organizations to help meet local needs.
Shelby County: Exploring Employer-Supported Child Care
In the afternoon, we traveled to ROOTS Child Development Center in Jackson Center, Shelby County, to learn more about a local child care partnership supported by area employers and community leaders.
Joined by Sidney-Shelby County YMCA CEO David O’Leary, State Sen. Susan Manchester (R-Waynesfield), Shelby County Commissioner Julie Ehemann, Jackson Center Village Councilmembers Ross Ludwig, James Devine, and Luke Doseck, Jackson Center Economic Development Director/Zoning Officer Ed Maxwell, Jackson Center Village Administrator Drew Sosby, and Juli Smith of the Community Foundation of Shelby County, we learned more about the collaboration behind ROOTS and the role employers can play in expanding access to child care for working families.
Representatives from Plastipak and Airstream, whose contributions helped make this child care partnership possible, also participated in the visit.
The visit offered an example of how businesses, community organizations, and local leaders can work together to address child care challenges and support the regional workforce.
Continuing the Conversation
Thank you to the Auglaize County Family & Children First Council, Auglaize County Board of Developmental Disabilities, and Sidney-Shelby County YMCA for helping bring these conversations together, and to everyone who shared their experiences and perspectives throughout the day.
From the challenges of finding child care that accommodates non-traditional work schedules to the opportunities created through employer-supported child care partnerships, our visits to Auglaize and Shelby Counties reinforced the importance of solutions that reflect the needs of local communities.
The insights gathered will contribute to Groundwork Ohio's statewide Roadshow report, which will be shared with lawmakers to help inform future policy decisions and investments in Ohio's youngest children and families.
Explore Groundwork Ohio’s county fact sheets to learn more about the data behind this Roadshow stop.
