Salt Lake County has completed the transition of its licensed day care operations, with former day care facilities continuing to serve families through new community partnerships and enhanced recreation and youth programming across the county.
Following the Council’s decision to transition out of licensed day care and their subsequent legislative intent, and under the Mayor’s direction, Salt Lake County established a Child Care Task Force and implemented a strategic, two-phase transition plan designed to minimize disruption for families, employees, and the community. The first phase expanded summer recreation and youth programming to address immediate needs, while the second phase established partnerships with community providers to deliver licensed and other childcare at County facilities beginning this fall.
Phase One: Summer Recreation and Youth Programming
Salt Lake County Recreation and Youth Services stepped in to help meet immediate needs. This summer, County recreation camps and youth programs have seen strong participation, with 12,828 youth enrolled to date. Staggered registration has helped expand access and openings throughout the summer. Families affected by the transition were also offered early registration to connect them with alternative summer programming, and all Salt Lake County youth ages 0–18 have free access to County recreation centers through the My County Rec Pass.
Phase Two: Community Partnerships at Former Day Care Sites
Three of Salt Lake County’s former licensed day care sites will provide childcare for low-income families through trusted community partners. (Previous county daycare programs had no income qualifications.):
- Magna is now home to Utah Community Action’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs.
- Northwest will be serving youth through Salt Lake City Youth City’s after-school program.
- Millcreek, a Granite School District owned facility, will now be utilized by Centro de la Familia to provide services for children and families.
- Kearns is temporarily serving as a central hub for equipment being redistributed to County programs and community partners while long-term opportunities for the facility continue to be evaluated.
“Although this transition has not been easy, our priority has always been supporting children and families as well as our dedicated staff while making thoughtful use of County resources,” said Mayor Jenny Wilson. “Thanks to the incredible efforts of County staff and the collaboration of outstanding community partners, these facilities continue to serve families and remain valuable community assets.”
— Mayor Jenny Wilson, Salt Lake County
“This transition was one of the more difficult decisions we’ve faced because we understood how important these programs were to many families and employees,” said Council Chair Aimee Winder Newton. “Throughout this process, our focus has been on ensuring children and families continue to have access to quality services while making responsible investments with our public dollars for the future. We’re encouraged to see our facilities remain a resource for families, thanks to help from community partners.”
— Council Chair Aimee Winder Newton, Salt Lake County Council
Looking Ahead
The County’s Child Care Task Force, which helped guide the transition, is now shifting its focus toward long-term planning, evaluation, and collaboration. Moving forward, the task force will monitor the success of partner-operated programs, assess community childcare needs, coordinate with the State of Utah’s Childcare Task Force, and continue supporting families through recreation services, community partnerships, and the strategic use of County facilities. Although Salt Lake County no longer operates licensed day care programs, it remains committed to supporting children and families.
The County extends its sincere appreciation to employees, community partners, families, and stakeholders whose collaboration made this transition possible. Their dedication and commitment helped ensure children and families continued to have access to valuable services while positioning County facilities to remain active community resources for years to come.
