With the opening of its Midtown location scheduled for early fall, Rainbow Child Care Center is joining forces with Wayne State University — reserving 40 exclusive spots for students, staff and faculty. The partnership fulfills a need for increased child care options the university uncovered during an internal survey conducted on campus several years ago.

“Affordable and accessible child care is a critical need for our students, staff and faculty,” said Loraleigh Keashly, chair of Wayne State’s Daycare Implementation Committee. “This partnership with Rainbow Child Care Center provides access to infant care and enhances our care capacity for older children. We continue to work on enhancing access by developing ways to subsidize the cost of care and options for hourly, partial day and drop-in care.”

The 40 spots at Rainbow Child Care Center's new two-story, 12,000-square-foot facility at the corner of Mack Avenue and Brush Street includes eight slots for infants and 32 for children up to 5 years old. In addition, the campus community will receive a discount on the enrollment fee, paying $75 as opposed to the regular $110, which is more in line with the other two child care options available on campus.

Rainbow Child Care Center is also offering an incentive for those who enroll early — one week free and the $75 application fee will be credited back after a month of enrollment. This incentive may change or end at any time, and is for new enrolling families only. The Wayne State application fee is refundable until the grand opening. More information can be found at rainbowccc.com/wsu or contacting Erica Wiegand at ewiegand@rainbowccc.com.

Currently, Wayne State’s Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute and the College of Education’s Early Childhood Center provide access to high-quality care for children 2.5 to 5 years old. But both facilities are consistently filled with their total 80 spots and do not accept infants.

For 26-year-old Brittanii Lyons, a Wayne State senior journalism major who commutes to campus, having more child care options close to the university is important to her because it will help save time and money.

“When it comes to being a working parent, nothing beats knowing that my child is learning in a safe environment just a few blocks away,” said Lyons, who is considering Rainbow Child Care Center for day care. “Since my son is under 2.5 years old, I’m excited that WSU students with younger children can take advantage of close child care.”

In October 2016, Wayne State’s Office of the Provost created the Daycare Implementation Committee to look into the current state of child care options available to students, staff and faculty, both on campus and in Midtown. Prior to the committee’s implementation, results from an internal survey showed that the campus community was very interested in day care options for children of all ages, and for both part- and full-time options.

Keashly, who also is a professor of communication and associate dean in Wayne State’s College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts, said this partnership is just the first phase in addressing child care costs and flexibility of care at the university.

“Working with Rainbow Child Care Center allows the university the opportunity to see how the arrangement and services provided will work for Wayne State’s population, and also assess the size of the demand for day care services and consider future expansion,” Keashly said.

Known for its commitment to whole-child learning, Rainbow Child Care Center offers a challenging curriculum supporting intellectual growth while promoting a culture that fosters friendships, develops healthy beginnings — through physical activity and attention to proper nutrition — and encourages curiosity.

“As Detroit continues to experience a resurgence, the need for high-quality child care in the heart of the city has never been greater,” said Patrick Fenton, Rainbow Child Care Center’s founder and CEO. “We’re thrilled about this relationship with Wayne State and to be able to assist in their needs, as both the university and Rainbow work to further the revitalization of this great city.”