A 24-hour childcare center in Great Bend celebrated its grand opening on Friday with a Chamber ribbon cutting at 4:45 p.m., and owner Erika Julian hopes to reach out to area employers as she grows her new business. All The Little Children, currently located at 1416 Broadway in Great Bend, is the only 24-hour licensed daycare in the area. “Businesses who employ evening and overnight help often struggle with high turnover because their staff can’t find reliable childcare,” Julian says. “I hope to develop good relationships with these types of employers to help solve that problem so they can retain the valuable employees on weekend and weeknight shifts.”
In 2004, Erika had to close her dance studio in McPherson, Kansas due to health problems. Her friends and neighbors used the opportunity to have Erika watch their kids. After seeing the need for quality childcare, Julian capitalized on the available niche market and expanded to operate three 24-hour facilities in McPherson County. When she moved to Great Bend with her husband, Rick, in 2008 so they could work at Rosewood Services, Erika still had childcare at the back of her mind. “My position as Residential Director at Rosewood Services put me in charge of 60-80 employees who were working overnight and weekend shifts,” Julian says. “The turnover was so high, and the number one excuse for tardiness or last-minute call-ins was a lack of childcare.”
After working with the local government and the state licensing bodies, Erika was pleased to officially launch All The Little Children on September 27th. In a few short weeks, all the daycare’s daytime slots were already full. However, there are still several openings for evening and overnight spots.
In addition to being the only 24-hour daycare facility, they are also one of the few providers that offers transportation. “Rides to school, after-school activities, and extracurricular programs help the kids maintain a normal life, even if mom or dad has to work late,” Julian says.
All The Little Children participates in the food program and complies with the rigorous safety guidelines set forth by the Kansas Department of Health & Environment. A consistent daily routine and USDA monitored food program keep the children active and healthy. The daycare also contracts with the KDHE so that some parents may qualify for subsidized weekly rates depending on their income.
The growing small business currently has six employees, including Erika and her husband Rick. The Julians have plans for expanding the daycare in the near future to employ more caregivers and accommodate more children in a new facility. More details will be announced about this expansion at a later date.
Parents interested in learning more about All The Little Children and their daycare services should contact the Julians at 620-639-2759 or email erikaj-allthelittlechildren@hotmail.com.