FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky lawmakers have been working on ways to address the need for workers in Kentucky and one thing has stood out: lack of access to child care.

Toyota’s plant in Kentucky offers workers access to a child care center, which is something Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky Vice President Sandy Nott said they’ve had it since 1993.

“We don’t do anything at Toyota unless there’s a need,” she said. “And certainly that feedback coming back from our team members said that there was, especially second shift, where there’s not so many options for daycare outside the family.”

But even with that access to child care, which employees largely pay for, problems remain.

“While Toyota has the means to provide these programs — we know we’re a big company — there are many business in our supply chain that don’t,” Nott said. “And it takes just one missing part on our vehicles to impact our ability to produce.”

And not only that, the Toyota child care center has a waitlist of over 80 kids in length.

“I don’t like that 88 team members’ kids, or 88 kids at least, are waiting to be part of the child care center,” Nott said. “That tells me that the parents are probably juggling, struggling, handing off in the parking lot, doing some various things that we’ve seen.”

Nott testified in front of the Early Childhood Education Task Force as lawmakers look at ways to get more people into the workforce.

She told them it’s been difficult finding enough staff for the child care center.  

"Fast food right now is offering up to $20/hr, and to be competitive and still offer the rates that we’re keeping is a challenge,” she said.

Lawmakers passed a bill last session, House Bill 499, to help businesses fund child care services for their employees and in return, the state matches the employer contribution.  

Officials with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services told lawmakers they’ve had trouble getting businesses and investors on board because it’s only a pilot program, not a permanent solution.  

Sen. Danny Carroll (R-Benton) said they’ll continue looking at ways to fix the issue.

“We’ve got to make it where it’s mainstream for larger businesses not just to help pay for child care, but to provide it, to have a center at that facility. That’s our goal,” he said. “That’s what we’ve got to do as a state: we’ve got to expand the number of facilities.”

The task force is scheduled to meet again next month.