Project Experience

Laramie County, Wyoming was pursuing a Community Facilities Grant from the Wyoming Business Council for the development of a new child care center in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  In its review of this grant application, the Wyoming Business Council desired to have more information concerning the demand for this facility.    Pedersen Planning Consultants (PPC) was retained to complete this study in light of its earlier preparation of a Wyoming Workforce Childcare Needs Assessment in 2006.

PPC initially updated its previous analysis of selected demographic and economic trends in Laramie County, identified the number of available childcare facilities, determined changes in child care enrollments, and evaluated changes associated with the cost of child care services. 

A related task associated with the overall study was a re-examination and modification of the statistical model originally used by PPC to calculate child care demands in 2006. 

Revised county population forecasts for the next decade were incorporated into the statistical model on the basis of more recent demographic and economic trends.  Former inputs to the statistical model, which attempted to consider affordability and their influence upon child care demand, were removed in light of the availability of comparable enrollment data for the 2006-2009 period.  The availability of this information enabled PPC to link critical assumptions used to forecast child care enrollment trends, simplify the forecast methodology, and increase the reliability of child demand forecasts.  

PPC revised its earlier forecasts of future demand for child care in Laramie County for the 2010-2020 period.  These forecasts segregated potential demands for infant, toddler, preschool age, and school age care.  PPC ultimately determined the unmet child care demand that could not be met by existing child care providers in Laramie County during the coming decade.