Whatcom is a child care desert: How many more spots must be added to fix that?

A total of 5,817 more licensed child care slots for kids up to 5 years of age will need to be added in Whatcom County by 2025 to meet demand, according to a new report sponsored by United Way of Whatcom County.

In that same time, 6,252 additional child care spots will be needed for school-age children, the Whatcom County Child Care Demand Study said.

Done by the Center for Economic and Business Research at Western Washington University for United Way, the study also surveyed 1,312 people — in English, Spanish and with language interpretation services — to help assess the demand for child care in Whatcom County as part of efforts to expand it and make it more affordable.