Sullivan, Klobuchar, Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Address the Shortage of Affordable, Quality Child Care
The Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act would provide competitive grants to states to train child care workers and build or renovate child care facilities in areas with child care shortages
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced the Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act to address the national shortage of affordable, quality child care, especially in rural communities. While many families struggle to find access to available child care, states are continuing to experience a noticeable decline in the number of child care providers, leading to the expansion of “child care deserts.” In the House of Representatives, a companion bill was introduced by Representatives Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA).
“We need a greater focus on helping parents succeed in the workplace while their children receive quality, affordable care,” said Senator Dan Sullivan. “I hear repeatedly from working Alaska parents that the lack of affordable childcare is among their top concerns, and those concerns are overwhelmingly confirmed by the data. Unfortunately, this problem disproportionately impacts mothers striving to re-enter the workforce. This legislation, which I have introduced with Senator Klobuchar, will help by offering grants focused on states hardest hit like ours to enhance workforce development among child care professionals, and improve facilities that serve families in child care deserts, particularly in our rural communities.”
“Affordable, quality child care must be available to every family. Child care shortages across the country pose a moral and financial issue for communities when parents are forced to decide between working and staying at home with their children,” Senator Klobuchar said. “Our bipartisan Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act will help ensure that every family has good options available to them when planning for their careers and their children.”
The Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act would:
- Help to address the shortage of affordable child care and qualified child care professionals in Alaska.
- Provide competitive grants to states to support (1) the education, training, or retention of the child care workforce or (2) building, renovating, or expanding child care facilities in areas with child care shortages; and
- Require applicants to address how their projects would:
- Increase the availability and affordability of quality child care, including during nontraditional hours.
- Help workers obtain portable, stackable credentials to foster increased mobility and opportunities for advancement in child care careers.
- Enhance retention or compensation of quality child care professionals.
Facts about childcare in Alaska:
- Nearly 1 in 4 children in Alaska is left without access to licensed child care when their parent or parents go to work.
- One of the larger gaps in child care supply is in Anchorage, where 4 in 5 infants and toddlers may not have access to licensed child care in while their mothers are at work.
- The average cost of infant care in Alaska is more than the annual cost of college tuition at a four year college.
Quote from Mark Shriver, CEO of Save the Children Action Network (SCAN):
"With more than half our nation's families living in a child care desert, we are facing a child care supply issue and the demand is too high and too costly to ignore,”said Mark Shriver, CEO of Save the Children Action Network. “As a leading champion for young children, SCAN applauds Senators Klobuchar and Sullivan and Representatives Peterson and Herrera Beutler for their leadership on this issue. This legislation will ensure that more parents can enter or remain in the workforce while knowing their children are enrolled in the type of quality child care that lays a strong foundation for their future success.”
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