Nana Grants’ Post

From the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute: "Child care, elder care and disability care are crucial for our society. However, care work is not seen as a public good and is void of adequate public investment. Instead, our state and country place an undue child care burden on women despite their often needing and wanting to earn a living. In child care, we subsidize the true cost of care on the backs of ECE teachers, who, in Georgia, are disproportionately Black, and earn far less than the work demands." Read the GBPI's budget and policy recommendations paving the way to an accessible, thriving child care system that benefits both providers and families at https://buff.ly/3Yw1s1w

It's important to know where your legislators stand when it comes to early care and learning. It's one thing to bemoan the low birth rate and community brain drain. It's quite another to create policies that enable people to have families should they choose. Let's vote in a way that makes our communities good places to live, work, and raise a family. #pachildcarevoter #earlycareandlearning #families #earlychildhood #thinkbabiesandvote

CCC-Supported Legislation Making Moves & What’s Next In early June, the legislative session of the New York State Legislature ended for summer. At the state level, conversations mirrored a lot of what’s been and is still being discussed at the city level: lack of affordable child care access, high housing costs, and more. While there is still significant work to be done to uplift New York families overall, there was some really good progress made with state legislation that CCC supported. Reflecting on this year’s session, we are celebrating several legislative victories that promise to advance our collective goals, especially in supporting child care in New York State. Read our latest Insight to learn about the bills and more: https://bit.ly/nysleg24

An important step in the evolution of the child support program!

DHS Secretary Valerie Arkoosh, MD, MPH recently visited CADES- Children and Adult Disability and Educational Services, a provider serving Pennsylvanians with intellectual disabilities and autism (ID/A) in Delaware County, and discussed the need for historic investments in Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2024-25 proposed budget, which would increase the number of Pennsylvanians who can access ID/A services, and support the professionals who care for Pennsylvanians with ID/A. Governor Shapiro’s budget proposal, which has received bipartisan support, would invest $483 million in federal and state funding to provide more resources for home and community-based service providers so they have the ability to increase the average starting wage from approximately $15/hour to $17/hour; an increase in wages would both attract and retain the qualified staff who provide these essential services. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3VB2PJT

More than 14.4 million—67.8 percent—of children in the U.S. have all available parents in the workforce. But a dire lack of access to affordable, high-quality child care often forces families to make difficult decisions between working or caring for their children. This recent overview from the Center for American Progress highlights how several states are responding to the end of COVID-19 pandemic funding from the U.S. government. While many states have passed new legislation or identified new investments to bolster child care, North Carolina as a state is continuing to struggle. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eHD4HYiJ

This may not be where the US is at right now, politically, but is nonetheless a fact: a comprehensive, universal, effective young child care system would require about $150 billion a year in public funding. That's about 18% of current defense spending. Another fact is that there is copious, high-quality evidence about the enormous return on investment of support for early childhood development. Universal pre-K is just one of the elements in that investment, which should also include support for parents and other care-givers, including stay-at-home parents and grandparents; as well as improvements to the environment to make it less toxic, and generally more child-friendly.

States are experiencing a paradigm shift in addressing noncustodial parents and child support arrears, transitioning from punitive measures to supportive strategies. They can now utilize federal funding to establish employment and training programs for noncustodial parents. By providing education and training, these programs equip fathers with the skills needed for stable, well-paying jobs, enabling them to meet their child support obligations. As they secure employment, they can transition to employer-sponsored health insurance, reducing reliance on Medicaid. Let’s connect! #accountablity #effectivness #efficency #costsavings #BPO #maximus

"Meanwhile, the burden created by our collective failure to build a truly supportive and community-nurturing child care system will grow heavier. And that is how and why pillars crumble." The crumbling childcare system in New Hampshire is not just a crisis for parents—it’s a crisis for our entire community. Without a robust childcare system: 1. Workforce productivity suffers: Parents, especially mothers, are forced to leave the workforce or reduce hours, creating talent shortages across industries. 2. Economic stability falters: Businesses lose valuable employees, and communities lose the economic contributions of working parents. 3. Future generations are at risk: High-quality early education is foundational for children’s development, impacting their lifelong ability to succeed and contribute to society. Strong childcare systems are the pillars of thriving economies and healthy communities, and when they crumble, so do the structures that hold us together. Parents, employers, and community leaders alike need to advocate for policies and investments that prioritize childcare. When families thrive, communities flourish, and together, we can strengthen the future of New Hampshire.

It’s nice to see both Vice Presidential nominees weigh in on an issue that impacts most American families with young children: child care. Overwhelming bipartisan majorities of Americans recognize the importance of accessible, affordable and high-quality early childhood education. Access to quality child care benefits families and keeps America’s economy growing. We may have some differences around the edges in determining how we get there, but the principle remains true: we need to do better for our families and kids. The time for action is now. https://lnkd.in/ecjSCSKn