Congregations Caring for Children

Affordability

Even if child care is available and meets the needs of parents for size, the age of

children served, hours of operation, and location, it must be affordable or fami 

lies can't use it. A state survey showed that a single parent working full time at a

minimum wage job would, on average, spend 68 percent of her/his income on

child care for a child under two at a licensed center. This is obviously not pos 

sible, especially since the same family is probably already spending over 60

percent of their income on housing and transportation.

While low income families are supposed to be eligible for subsidized child care,

it is estimated by the California Budget Project that the state currently serves just

65% percent of the approximately 800,000 eligible children. Now, with welfare

recipients' children needing child care as their parents move into jobs, low 

income families face even greater competition for subsidized spaces.

Quality of Care

The need is also not just for child care, but for quality child care. New research

has shown that the period from birth to age three is the most important in the

development of children's brains, influencing all later development. The experi 

ences provided (or not provided) by parents and caregivers in a child's first years

will affect that child's learning, behavior, social skills, confidence, and perfor 

mance for the rest of his or her life.

As a result, the quality of care is extremely important, both on a personal and a

community level. A 1998 RAND study found that children participating in high 

quality care had higher school achievement and were less likely to commit

crimes later. RAND estimated that each dollar spent on quality early care pro 

grams saved up to $7 in costs for welfare, special education, courts  and prisons.

Adequate after school care also keeps children active and engaged, reducing the

possibilities for isolation and getting into trouble without supervision.

While there is little quality data available, the state's Little Hoover Commission

says care is mediocre due to low wages, a shortage of trained workers, high staff

turnover, the high cost of care, and a shortage of licensed care. In addition, the

lack of training requirements for family child care homes and providers exempt

from all licensing requirements likely contributes to poor quality care. Indeed,

counties are finding that welfare recipients are primarily using exempt providers,

often unemployed boyfriends, to care for their children because it brings in

money to the budget of the extended family   as seen in some recent newspaper

articles, sometimes with disastrous consequences, such as injury or even death

for a child.

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