Federal Legislation: Quality Child Care for America Act Introduced(es)
Today, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) introduced their Quality Child Care for America Act at a press briefing audience comprised of members of the press, child care workers, members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), as well as several rows of current child care participants--children themselves.
Language in the proposed bill recognizes research that has demonstrated child care plays in integral role in early development and school readiness, and that higher rates of compensation correlate to better developmental outcomes for children. The proposed legislation also recognizes that child care providers tend to make wages that set them below the federal poverty rate, engage in high turnover, and have limited access to health insurance and other benefits. The bill also notes that low wages for child care workers are fundamentally linked to low reimbursement rates.
The Quality Child Care for America Act would supplement the CCDBG with an additional $200 million to allow states to implement workforce development initiatives that would include:
Increased provider compensation and benefits, including health insurance and retirement benefits;
Paid sick, vacation, or educational release time;
Technical and financial assistance to providers; and
Mentoring and career planning programs for providers.
The language of this proposed bill will be made public later this week.
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