Diane Moca’s Post

Reaching accross the aisle support the workforce of today and tomorrow? Yes, Please! Reaching across the aisle to support a thriving economy? Yes, Please! https://lnkd.in/gWSiaAex Transforming challenges into opportunties for every child, regardless of their zip code. #boostingsupply #loweringcosts4families

The First Five Things to Know About: The Kaine-Britt Bipartisan Child Care Plan The Child Care Availability and Affordability Act and the Child Care Workforce Act make up a bipartisan package that would update current tax provisions to help more parents afford the child care they need, while also addressing child care workforce challenges by creating a pilot program to boost the supply of child care workers. https://lnkd.in/gus7JJxs

“My plan is that no family, no working family, should pay more than 7% of their income in child care.” That’s from Vice President Kamala Harris when asked about what she would do about the rising cost of child care. Where did this 7% number come from? And how would it work? In my latest column, I trace its genesis from a Census report on child care arrangements from 2013. It's the average spending on care on children under 15 by working moms who purchased care. A mouthful! It later made its way into legislation as part of the 2014 reauthorization of the Child Care and Development Block Grant as a cap on what states could charge parents who received vouchers as copays. It's a fantastic goal, aspirational even given how much families pay for care. But as a child care policy, it's unworkable. Calculating and collecting 7% of income for parents with children under 5 is no easy feat. Providers can't do it, states can't do, and while the federal government could fold it into income tax collection, it's risky and complicated. It could triple the tax burden of low-income families, lead high income families to opt out of a public provided system, subject the Social Security benefits of grandparents raising grandchildren to taxes, wipe out the refund from the Earned Income Tax Credit, and likely throw in a marriage disincentive to boot. Harris is leading the way on this conversation. This is the first presidential campaign in which care is at the front, and I'm grateful for the national conversation this is inspiring. For my part, she should go farther and easier. https://lnkd.in/ezkPgq_6

The child care crisis is a growing concern across the U.S., but Vermont’s recent legislative success offers a beacon of hope. With nearly 20% of Vermont’s child care providers fearing closure just last year, state officials took decisive action. A new law, passed in May 2023, has since increased financial assistance for families and improved pay for child care workers, leading to the opening of 1,000 new child care spaces. The initial results are promising, with a dramatic shift in the outlook for child care providers. Dive into how Vermont’s approach could serve as a model for other states grappling with similar challenges at Route Fifty: https://lnkd.in/d-gMi__4

‘Double our mortgage’: The child care crisis squeezing America Child care has become increasingly difficult for families to afford, with costs rising nearly twice the rate of inflation over the last three decades. In fact, in any state, having two kids in child care is more expensive than rent. Despite this, the high cost of child care isn’t reflected in salaries. Faced with the hard decision to close her child care program, one provider shared a stark reality: when asked what would happen if she reverted salaries to pre-Covid relief levels, she said, “They’d all quit, every last one of them.” This Wisconsin program is just one of the more than 70,000 child care programs expected to close, leaving families scrambling for new arrangements. See the full story here: https://lnkd.in/g52KXr9z America’s broken child care system is not only affecting businesses but also the families and, ultimately, the children who need child care services. Urgent action by state and federal policymakers is needed to support child care providers and ensure affordable, quality care for all families. #ChildCareCrisis #EarlyChildhoodEducation #AffordableChildCare #ChildCareProviders #SupportFamilies #ChildCareSolutions #InvestInChildren

I found this article on child care very insightful - how have you been affected by the child care crisis? Costs in child care have gone up 15-30% since Covid - how are families able to adjust? Meeting with a qualified financial strategist, someone who has your best interests in mind and not theirs, may help overcome this hurdle. Brainstorming with an expert never hurts! https://lnkd.in/ghYFDcy2

Spent the last 3 days with child care advocates, researchers and associations to assess progress on the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system. I’m always in awe of this group’s passion and dedication to child care and desire to ensure every child, no matter where they live, have access to quality care. So much progress has been made over the last few years on the #10aDayChildCare plan with close to 1M families having enjoyed access to affordable care. Of course, a system isn’t built overnight and thousands more want access. Expansion of spaces is a big challenge but not impossible. With good policy measures to increase the workforce, which requires good wages and conditions, and investments in building centres, the CWELCC could provide access to affordable and quality child care to all. It’s aggravating to see certain groups trying to undermine this progress, and wanting to take us back to a time where child care was left to market forces, leaving families struggling to find affordable care and a small tax handout didn’t do anything to address shortage and affordability of care. Today is the last day of the nation-wide 10 Days of Action for the #10aDayChildCare. Join this fantastic movement by visiting childcarenow.ca/10days/ to find out more and sign the petition!

Isn't it startling how the fabric of American care — from child care to elder support — threads through the very heart of society, yet remains one of the most financially and emotionally taxing aspects of family life? Amid rising costs and accessibility challenges, the Biden-Harris Administration steps forward with a bold, empathetic vision for reform. #affordablechildcare #AmericanRescuePlan #BidenHarrisCareAgenda #CareWorkersRecognition #ChildTaxCredit #FamilyCaregivingSupport #HighQualityCareAccess #MedicaidServicesExpansion #PaidFamilyLeave #UniversalPreschool

Finding high-quality, affordable child care is an issue not only for the families involved, but also for the workforce, the economy, society, and long-term prosperity. https://ow.ly/l1tf50SeghY