For child care chain, ‘continuing education’ key to maintaining staff

As childcare providers across the country have struggled to pay workers and remain open, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic causing more and more parents to stay home with their children, one Maryland-based chain of early learning centers has all but avoided the turbulence of the last two years. Kiddie Academy Educational Child Care, a system of 300 corporate-owned and franchised childcare centers based in Maryland’s Harford County, has only expanded in recent years. Its 300th location, located in Urbandale, Iowa, opened earlier this month, and the system’s enrollment has grown by 20% in the past year. There are 19 Kiddie Academies in Maryland.