Policy Pick: Child CareApril 27, 2009 |
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 The lack of child care availability can be a key barrier to parents' entry into the workforce. The 2007 California Child Care Resource and Referral Network's "California Child Care Portfolio" reported that 70 percent of families seek child care services because they are working. Working families rely on a variety of service delivery systems to provide early care and education (ECE) to their young children, and many struggle to find affordable, high quality opportunities that are located near their home and/or work. The L.A. County Office of Child Care estimated a shortfall in 2006 of nearly 48,000 licensed care slots for infants and children through age 5. An ideal option for many working families is employer-provided ECE. The availability of child care at a worksite can benefit both families and employers. Employees of companies that provide child care are generally more productive, have lower rates of absenteeism and higher morale. Despite these benefits, as of 2007 only 15 percent of employees in the U.S. worked for a company that provided child care assistance, and only five percent of employees have access to employer-provided child care. In response to these and other issues relevant to working families, First 5 LA's Policy Agenda includes the goal of improving incentives for employers to adopt universal, family-friendly workplace policies. Current federal legislation would impact this goal. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Representative C.A. Dutch Ruppersberg (D-MD) have introduced legislation simultaneously in the House and Senate (HR 460 and S. 210 respectively) that would increase tax incentives for employer-sponsored child care, as well as those for working families and ECE providers. The Right Start Child Care and Education Act of 2009 would increase tax credits for employer-provided ECE facilities, double the maximum federal child care tax credit, and establish tax credits for college graduates working in the ECE field. First 5 LA has sent a letter in support of the legislation which is currently in committees in both houses of congress. To read more about the legislation, you may visit http://thomas.loc.gov/. For more information about how First 5 LA supports this policy contact Aleece Kelly, First 5 LA policy analyst, at akelly@first5la.org. |
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