The cost of living is high for most living in San Luis Obispo County.
It can be even higher for parents due to the cost of childcare.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved a $20,000 study aimed at increasing high quality and affordable childcare.
"I charged $850 for three days. That would be full time. And I charged $1,200 for full time, Monday through Friday,” said Anne Kellebrew, former childcare provider.
Kellebrew was a childcare provider for decades. She recently closed her infant day care business in San Luis Obispo but admits there's high demand and a shortage in childcare options.
"We've never really had a great deal of vacancies,” Kellebrew said.
"It's getting more expensive all the time. We might be a little more expensive than others cities in the county but then it's more expensive to live here for us. We have overhead too an we have to meet our overhead at a decent profit or else we wouldn't be able to stay in business.”
The newly-approved study will look for solutions.
"It's a study look at what can we do out there, what are the barriers. Can we bring more quality individuals in to do these jobs? Do we need more facilities? How do we expand the current situation to benefit those that need the childcare, the high quality childcare in the county?” said Lynn Compton, District 4 Supervisor.
Compton says she hopes the study will make childcare more available for parents as there can be a six-month waiting list or looking period to try and find an opening.
One parent told KSBY that after she moved to San Luis Obispo, she couldn't find any child care options for her 16-monthold. The long wait-lists for local centers meant she was unable to work.
Compton says she's excited to get the results of the study back to see what the county can do to help.
She says she believes the study will be done in six months to a year.
