Catherwood Childcare to close

Nov. 19—PRC center has faced challenges with licensing, historic building

The Catherwood Home Child Care, based in a home built in the late 1800s, is being closed permanently in early December due to ongoing and significant challenges with the old facility and state licensing, according to a press release Tuesday.

Board members of the nonprofit Parenting Resource Center, the organization that has operated the childcare center since its creation in 2000, voted this month to close Catherwood on Dec. 6. This decision came after several months of extensive internal and external deliberations about its future.

Seven families using Catherwood Home Child Care are being assisted with relocation options for their children by the PRC staff in collaboration with the nonprofit Austin Aspires.

"This has been a very difficult decision for our organization but the PRC clearly cannot continue to invest funds into the old Catherwood home and pull our time and resources from other PRC programs to operate the childcare center," said Julie Clinefelter, chair of the PRC's board of directors.

The PRC, however, will not rule out potentially playing a future role in providing childcare in Austin at another facility and with the support of partnering agencies, Clinefelter said.

In recent years, state licensing changes have made operating Catherwood Home Child Care extra difficult, said PRC Executive Director Sara Salas Ramirez.

"Today's childcare environment is much different than in 2000 when Catherwood was started to address needs in the community," Salas Ramirez said. "Catherwood is a beautiful, historic home but it is not ideal for childcare and would have many expensive needs to meet state requirements likely coming in the next few years."

In the late 1800s, Sam Catherwood, a prominent Austin attorney and the first chairman of The Hormel Foundation, built the 7,200-square-foot home with 16 rooms at 707 Fourth St. NW a few blocks north of Austin High School.

PRC leaders are exploring options for the Catherwood home and property for when the childcare program is done.