The June 19 edition of The Janesville Gazette featured our most recent Forward Thinking column. Forward Thinking is a series of columns that help the community learn more about our member businesses and about Forward Janesville initiatives.

This month, we took a closer look at our recently launched Child Care Directory. The directory allows care seekers to quickly find and compare local child care options, from day care to wrap care to camps. And it is also a simple, practical resource that local employers can distribute to their employees, as well as a marketing tool for providers.

For two years in a row, child care has been a Policy Priority Area of Forward Janesville’s Government Relations Council because of its impact on workforce participation and employer competitiveness. In fact, child care remains a top barrier to employment in the Department of Workforce Development’s 2025 Rock County Workforce Profile, similar to its position in the 2023 Rock County Workforce Profile.

Read the full column here.