Families rally against planned closure of Fort Hill childcare center at Smith College

Supporters marched through Northampton today, calling on Smith College to reconsider closing Fort Hill next June. 22 News reporter Kaylee Thomas joins us live in studio with their concerns. Sarah, losing child care can mean rearranging work schedules, joining wait lists, and facing new costs. Families are asking Smith College to keep the century-old Fort Hill open before they have to make those decisions. Save Fort Hill! Save Fort Hill! That message moving through Northampton as union members joined families and teachers to push Smith College to keep the city's second largest child care center open. Parents say they learned of Fort Hill's planned closure through an email. I was totally in shock. I was in the middle of something and I almost threw my phone down because I could not believe that this was happening. Their two children are among roughly 80 enrolled at Fort Hill and say they're already searching for other care. But some options wouldn't start until fall 2027 or later. So if they close in June, the entire summer at the very least is not covered. A Smith College associate professor of statistics estimates that Northampton has 233 infants, but only 74 confirmed infant child care spaces available. This means that there's 3.2 infants per slot and that we're already currently in what is known as an infant child care desert. She says closing Fort Hill would deepen that shortage, a challenge she knows personally. I'm currently a parent of an infant. I was on a wait list for 18 months to find a spot for my child. Fort Hill teachers voted unanimously to unionize in 2024. Now they're fighting a closure that would also eliminate 30 jobs. A UMass professor says she's standing with them. Here to support fellow workers continuing to teach and educate, which is what we love to do. Smith College says the change addresses concerns that high tuition costs and limited capacity made his child care benefit inequitable. Instead, eligible employees with children up to age 12 would receive a direct child care subsidy. The college estimates about 350 employees would qualify, compared to just 45 using the current benefit, and says funding both programs is not financially sustainable. The Northampton mayor welcomed the subsidy, but said in a statement, At the same time, financial assistance alone cannot address the shortage of available child care. Preserving existing capacity is equally important. The mayor says she has met with Smith officials and community organizations who have expressed interest in exploring a new operating arrangement or partnership to preserve the child care spots. Working for you, Kaylee Thomas, 22 News.