Posted on August 02, 2012 |
In the past two weeks, several Washington Post articles have raised an issue that has not been the focus of a national political campaign since 1988—child care. It should be a top topic of the campaign debate because it is a basic support for millions of American families and because it is closely connected to the most pressing issues on the agenda today—jobs, the economy, and our nation’s budget priorities.
All families, regardless of income, struggle to find safe and supportive child care. Because the United States is one of only six countries that does not offer paid parental leave (PDF), many parents must start their search for child care soon after their babies arrive—or even before. Ask any parent what that search is like, and they will typically talk about how long the waiting lists are for a slot in a child care program, especially for infants and toddlers, and what limited choices they have in their neighborhoods for high-quality child care. Their stories are frustratingly similar.
Parents shoulder most of the burden for their child care costs—about 60 percent of child care is covered by parent fees. The private sector barely kicks in with about one percent of the support. Read more »