It's an issue that's all too familiar for parents in Broome County.

A lack of child care has recently been identified as one of the top problems affecting the workforce in the area.

In fact, more than 4,000 jobs are going unfilled, in part, because there just aren’t enough options for child care.

"If parents have child care, then they can go to work. Right now, if they have no place for their children they're not going to be able to go back into the work place if they've just had the baby," said Jennifer Perney, Child Care Resource and Referrals director.

But some much needed services are on the way.

The Family Enrichment Network recently announced a $20,000 grant to add 60 new child care slots in the county.

"This is going to be a win-win for everyone because each of these family-based operations is a business, a business with an entrepreneur, a business owner," said Donna Lupardo, (D) Assembly – Endwell.

In Broome County alone, there are more than 1,500 child care slots that need to be filled. In the meantime, parents are being forced to find other options.

"We can give the parents the names, and it's up to them to call and try to find that spot, but it's very hard for them," said Perney.

The funding will be used in part for training potential new providers, while also adding more supplies and home care to current centers.

"When they become registered and licensed, we'll be able to put them into our database so when parents call us, they'll be able to have referrals, so I anticipate the spots will be filled very quickly," said Perney.

While it may just be a start, many are hoping this is just the beginning of much more.