Olivia Rutman, CTP’s Post

Childcare “makes it easier for parents to work, set down roots, and have the number of kids that they want. Much like public education, it helps children develop knowledge and skills. A comprehensive child-care system can benefit whole communities—including people without children—by reducing poverty, supporting health and safety, and building social connectivity. Yet most politicians aren’t striving to make child care free; they’re striving to make it affordable. This framing accepts the damaging premise that child care should be a private market commodity. It’s time we instead see child care as the vital service it is—one that undergirds national prosperity and should be universal and free,” Elliot Haspel argues. Wednesday news Read more: https://lnkd.in/ge2v9-s3

Child Care Aware of Kansas estimates that the state has a demand for 80,000 childcare spots, and that the existing market only meets 46% of that demand. To lower financial barriers to expand access to affordable, high-quality childcare, Governor Kelly recently announced that Kansas will cover the state licensing, background check and fingerprinting fees for childcare providers through 2025. Covering these fees is one step toward helping children, families and childcare providers thrive in Kansas. See more of UCS’s recommended childcare policy solutions here: bit.ly/3zQ2DiS #kansaschildcare #affordablechildcare #childcarecosts #childcarepolicy

Couldn't agree more with the insights in this article. The challenges facing the childcare industry are real. As someone deeply invested in quality early childhood education, I have heard from many of our partners about the urgent need for sustainable funding and systemic reform. We must raise our voices to ensure that every child and every educator can thrive. https://lnkd.in/d7deYkRg ---- #fundchildcare #ece #childcarematters

Couldn't agree more with the insights in this article. The challenges facing the childcare industry are real. As someone deeply invested in quality early childhood education, I have heard from many of our partners about the urgent need for sustainable funding and systemic reform. We must raise our voices to ensure that every child and every educator can thrive. https://lnkd.in/g8gAQAkn ---- #fundchildcare #ece #childcarematters

Thank you Hour Detroit Magazine for publishing my story on the child care crisis in Metro Detroit and the city of Detroit. From the article: In metro Detroit, too many parents struggle to find trustworthy, affordable caregivers for their young children. Wait lists can be months to a year or longer. The biggest challenge is the infant and toddler age group, where licensed centers must have one provider for every four children. In Detroit, the day care crisis is even more dire. There are about 52,000 children age 5 and under in the city. The city of Detroit’s Office of Early Learning estimates 37,000 of these children need day care, and only 21,500 slots are available through home day cares or centers. That means the city still needs 15,500 seats to fill the gap. That gap translates to over 12,000 Detroit parents who are unable to work due to the lack of adequate child care. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g_R-jN6m

The #StateOfTheUnion is coming up this Thursday! Check out our hub page for our latest resources, including a compilation blog on what has happened at the state and federal levels for #childcare over the past year. ✏️ --> https://hubs.li/Q02mCQnM0

Today, over half of Americans live in a childcare desert, defined as an area where child care is out of reach due to proximity or cost. And, two-thirds of children under age 6 have all parents in the workforce (both partnered and solo parents). This means millions of families are struggling to find the early learning and care opportunities their children need to thrive. Head Start is working hard to fill this gap by providing high-quality early education in rural areas, underserved communities, and beyond. But we need more support to ensure every child has access to the care and education they deserve. Together, we can change this. Share this post to raise awareness and advocate for increased investment in early childhood education by signing this eLetter urging Congress to invest in #HeadStart. https://bit.ly/48jBKR4 PhotoCredit: Community Action Agency #ChildcareDeserts #EarlyEducationMatters

Child care can become more affordable for families due to a new federal rule that caps copayments. Our new analysis details how the rule could improve child care subsidy systems in states. https://lnkd.in/gnaQxDjx #affordablecare #childcare

Many early childhood educators are understandably tired of politics and numbed by the onslaught of top down policies. However “Project 2025,” a government reform treatise from the Heritage Foundation, demands attention and analysis. The plan includes this about Head Start, “this program should be eliminated along with the entire [Office of Head Start].” There’s more, so it’s important to click through to read the original article (and, if you’re brave, the Project 2025 plan itself).

A new report from the Century Foundation highlights what families have known for years: childcare costs are skyrocketing, staffing is short, and early educators are underpaid. Affordable child care and better support for early educators are needed now! https://lnkd.in/ghJFxMU4 #childcarecrisis