Child Care for the 21st Century
Resolution Submitted
to the
American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences
WHEREAS, 13 million preschoolers, including six million
infants and toddlers, are in child care,
WHEREAS, 64 percent of mothers with children under the age
of six, and 78 percent of mothers with children ages six
to 13 are in the labor force,
WHEREAS, a 1999 University of North Carolina study found
that children in high quality child care demonstrated greater
mathematical ability, greater thinking and attention skills,
and fewer behavioral problems that children in lower quality
care,
WHEREAS, nearly five million children are home along after
school each week, especially during the afternoon hours when
juvenile crime peaks,
WHEREAS, a recent Health and Human Services report indicates
that only 12 percent of the 15 million children whose families
qualify for child care assistance received it in 1999, and
WHEREAS, research indicates that childcare subsidies are
linked to increased employment rates of mothers of young
children, but there is very little evidence of the effect
of child care subsidies on child development outcomes,
BE IT RESOLVED THAT
AAFCS support programs, services and policies at all levels
of government and through employers to expand the supply
of affordable, quality child-care for all who need it, in
order to increase access to employment and to prevent and
reduce poverty; AND THAT
AAFCS members help increase the availability of affordable,
quality care for pre-school and school-age children and children
with special needs by serving as catalysts in their communities
and contributing directly in the design and management of
care options, care giver training and support with educational
resources, parent outreach and education about care options
and assistance, AND THAT
AAFCS serve as a conduit for linking policy makers, parents
and care-givers to research, teaching resources, care center
designs, child health and nutrition resources and other resources
for improved policy development and care delivery at sustainable,
affordable rates.
Rationale
Child-care is not a new issue. The Boston Infant's School
opened in the 1820's. But, child-care became a public issue
when World War II took many mothers into defense industry
jobs. In 1943, the Lanham Act provided funds for centers
for their children. Of the 3000 centers opened, 2800 were
closed at the end of the war as most women returned to the
home.
Since the latter part of the 1960's the need for accessible,
quality, affordable child care has accelerated due to rising
divorce rates, more children born to single parents, and
more families needing two incomes to meet family economic
needs. Policy focus shifted to child-care and early education
subsidies as part of government efforts to increase economic
independence and improve the development of children in low-income
families. A recent National Bureau of Economic Research report
notes there are tradeoffs between policies that are designed
to achieve either of these goals independently. Evidence
indicates that child-care subsidies are linked to increased
employment rates of mothers of young children, while there
is very little evidence of the effect of child-care subsidies
on child development outcomes. (Balu, 2000)
Furthermore, a recent Health and Human Services report indicates
that only 12 percent of the 15 million children whose families
qualify for child-care assistance received assistance in
1999. (Kharfen, 2000) One factor is that less than 50% of
the families leaving welfare for work who participated in
a Center for Law and Social Policy study in 1999 were receiving
child care assistance. In most sites, 30% or less received
assistance. Most were unaware of the availability of child-
care subsidies. Families tend to rely on friends or relatives
for child-care. Those who use subsidies are more likely to
rely on child care centers. (Schumacher and Greenberg, 99)
The issue is complex and emotionally sensitive because it
concerns beliefs, values, behaviors and expectations of individuals,
families, communities and society.
Three basic perspectives on child-care prevail.
- Government should support a traditional
mothering role for women. Child-care subsidies are perceived
to undermine the family by encouraging mothers to enter
the labor force. The goal of public policy should be to
reduce the financial burden on families and to make it
possible for one parent to stay home to rear young children.
- Government has a clear role in day care,
but only for children who are at risk. Early childhood
programs for children from poor families are in the public
interest because they lead to greater success in school
and a more effective labor market. These programs are viewed
as a social investment for breaking the cycle of poverty.
- Government should play an important role
in guaranteeing that all families with young children have
access to affordable, high-quality child care. Needs of
working parents and their children require adequate care
arrangements to meet all types of family and child needs
while providing care givers adequate compensation for their
critical services. (Todd, C. and Ashton, A., 2001)
The issue is also driven by decisions made in multiple federal,
state and local agencies. A major void in the development
of policy is parent input. Representative George Miller (D-Calif.)
spent eight years getting the "Caring for Children Act" passed,
which focused on targeted tax cuts, sops for care provider
businesses and more stringent regulation of the child-care
industry. He noted that most of the legislation "would
be a boon to businesses and bureaucrats rather than children." The
main reason for this focus was, "There wasn't a parents'
movement. There is no public demand for a federal child-care
plan from parents." In fact, staff from the Department
of Health and Human Services noted that 96 percent of parents
nationwide were satisfied with their current child-care arrangements.
More than nine out of ten said they would be willing to pay
more money for their current arrangements. (Olson, 1998)
Thus, politicians believe that cutting parents' taxes is
the best way to help parents using child-care. "Moving
29 million middle-class tax payers from the 28 percent federal
income tax bracket to the 15 percent bracket, on average
would cut their taxes $1,200 per year to purchase better
child-care or spend more time with their children." (Olsen,
1998)
A new opportunity for family involvement in child-care policy
development has emerged with the formation of a Congressional
Child Care Caucus announced in March 2001. Co-sponsors of
the initiative include Representatives Bernie Sanders (I-VT),
Rosa L.DeLauro, (D-CT), Connie Morella, (R-MD), and Benjamin
Gilman (R-NY). A preliminary list of initiatives to be addressed
by this caucus include:
- Increasing Child Care Development Block
Grant (CCDBG) funding to $1 billion;
- Increasing mandatory CCDBG funding to
families earning 85% of their state's median income;
- Expanding of the Child Tax Credit to $1,000
and making this credit refundable to families without federal
tax liability;
- Increasing child care payment rates to
reflect real market trends;
- Developing the child care workforce through
stipends to individuals based on education levels, a child
care provider scholarship fund, and student loan forgiveness;
- Authorizing capital construction funds
for child care facilities;
- Examining tax cut incentives for businesses
that provide child care services; and
- Researching other successful child-care
models.
Members of the American Association for Family and Consumer
Sciences are a source of research, education, and public
policy analysis for families and policy makers seeking functional,
affordable solutions that assure the safety and development
of children. Family and consumer sciences professionals across
the nation can also be the link for family input into this
policy initiative.
References
Blau, D.M., Child Care Subsidy Programs, National Bureau
of Economic Research Working Paper No. W7806, July 2000.
Kharfen, M. "New Statistics How Only Small Percentage
of Eligible Families Receive Child Care Help," U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services Press Release, Dec,
2000.
National Center for Education Statistics. (October 1996).
Child-Care and Early Education Program Participation of Infants,
Toddlers, and Preschoolers. Washington, DC; NCES.
Olson, D., "Federal Child Care Plans: Solutions in
Search of a Problem, Cato Institute, March, 1998.
Peisner-Feinberg, et al. (1999). The Children of the Cost,
Quality, and Outcomes Study Go To School: Executive Summary.
Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina.
Schumacher, R. and Greenberg, M., "Child Care After
Leaving Welfare:; Early Evidence from State Studies," Washington,
D.C.: Center for Law and Social Policy, Oct, 1999.
Snyder, H., and Sickmund, M. (1999). Juvenile Offenders
and Victims: 1999 National Report. Washington, D.C.: U.S.
Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Programs.
Todd, C. and Ashton, A., "Three Perspectives on Child
Care Public Policy," University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, http://www.accs.uiuc.edu,
March,2001.
Unpublished data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
(1999) Marital and Family Characteristics of the Labor Force
from the March 1999 Current Population Survey. Washington,
D.C.: U.S. Department of Labor.
Impact Statement
Public policy advocacy for quality, affordable child-care
at the federal, state, and local levels is directly related
to the mission of the Association and the profession and
will have little or no impact on the budget or other resources
of the organization, because:
A) The coordination, planning and strategies to implement
the resolution are integral to the work of the affiliates,
the appropriate sections and divisions, the Public Policy
Committee, and headquarters staff;
B) Distribution of this resolution and any other related
materials to AAFCS members and other affiliated organizations
would be through existing channels, including the website;
C) Passage of the resolution does not require the hiring
of additional staff at AAFCS headquarters; and
D) Funds to support any new state or national program (research,
demonstration, or others) would need to be approved through
existing channels and sought from external sources.
Suggested Implementation Strategies
Develop a concise, articulate policy statement that reinforces
the mission of AAFCS and incorporates the support of affordable,
quality child-care availability in every community in the
nation. Distribute this policy statement through existing
communications mechanisms, such as:
a. The Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences: From Research
to Practice;
b. Messages to affiliates and other Association leaders;
c. Meetings with the Child Care Now coalition; and
d. Newsletters to institutional members of the Higher Education
Unit.
e. Use available resources to involve families, caregivers,
employers, policymakers, AAFCS affiliate members and other
professionals concerned about childcare.
f. Provide leadership for community, state, and national
childcare policy workshops and advocacy.
Other initiatives to reinforce this support include:
a. Continue support of quality, affordable child-care issues
as a public policy priority for the Association; and
b. Reiterate the Association's position with supporting data
and research to Members of Congress, the Administration,
state governments, and local policy-makers.
c. Add tools developed for workshops and other policy sessions
available for a fee on the policy portion of the website.
Policy Policy Priority
for Child Care
Outcome
Throughout the United States, quality child care is accessible
and affordable and that the wages and professional development
opportunities are enhanced.
The Issue
Child care is a part of the daily lives of millions of American
families.
- In 1998, two out of three (65 percent)
women with children younger than six and three-quarters
(78 percent) of women with children ages six to 17, were
in the labor force.
- Child care is critical to worker productivity.
A lack of reliable child care can cause workers to lose
time and be less productive at work.
- Child care and early childhood education
providers make a sizable contribution to the economy as
small business owners. In 1997, the receipts of taxable
child care providers totaled $12.8 billion, up from $5.4
billion in 1988.
- Each day, an estimated 13 million children
under age six - including children with mothers who work
outside the home and those with mothers who do not - spend
some or all of their day being cared for by someone other
than their parents.
- The early childhood years are particularly
important to children's development and future success.
The quality of the child's environment and social experience
has a decisive, long-last impact on their well-being and
ability to learn.
- A 1999 study found that low-income children
who received comprehensive, quality early educational intervention
had higher scores on cognitive, reading, and math tests
than a comparison group who did not participate in an intervention.
- Women's financial contribution accounts
for most of the increase in the median income of married
couples with children between 1969 and 1996. Without the
earnings of the wives, the earnings of these families would
have increased by only two percent over the period, rather
than 25 percent.
- A study of the quality of child care centers
found that one in eight centers provided less than minimal
quality care.
SOURCE: 1999 Key Facts. Overview of Child Care, Early
Education, and School-Age Care. Children's Defense Fund.
AAFCS Response
Nationally As a member of the Children's Defense Fund Child
Care Now coalition, promote legislation that invests in
child care to assist parents working at home or out of
the home; improve the quality of child care available;
promote greater business investment in child; prepare children
to enter school ready to learn; and to expand after-school
activities for children.
Affiliates Join established coalitions and partnerships
in local communities or build partnerships from the diverse
network of child care advocacy groups. Work with state legislation
that promotes areas of focus nationally.
Community Work with businesses to offer child care options
that support employees. Work with local decision-makers to
promote legislation that assists parents and improves the
quality of care available.
Related Resolutions
Public Policy Advocacy for Quality Affordable Child
Care, 1997; Youth at Risk, 1989; Children in Self-Care and
School-Age Child Care, 1988; Child and Family Services Legislation,
1975; Child Care and Parent Education, 1973.
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