TKW Consulting

Overcoming the Obstacles
Certainly, this is not an easy time to be proposing that the government spend more money on child care. After all, we're facing massive budget deficits, and legislators are fighting to prevent rollbacks in the programs that already exist.

But before we throw up our hands and say, "It's the economy, stupid," we need to acknowledge that this is ultimately a question of priorities. Congress passed a $400 billion prescription-drug plan for seniors this year. We're also spending $190 billion on subsidies for farmers over the next decade.

"The federal government can fund anything we want to fund," Democratic Congressman Major R. Owens, of New York, said recently. "We paid for the war in Iraq and borrowed money to give back to the people as a tax cut. As a parent, you should never accept the argument that money is the problem."

"Early-childhood care and education is a priority for almost every major industrialized nation except the U.S.," says Sheila B. Kamerman, D.S.W., director of the Columbia University Institute for Child and Family Policy, in New York City. Access to high-quality subsidized programs is a legal right at age 1 in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden; at age 2 in France; at age 3 in Italy and Germany; and at age 4 in the U.K. Many European countries started providing free preschool in the 19th century, but programs expanded greatly in the 1960s as more mothers entered the workforce. Some Canadians are ahead of us as well: In Quebec, care is available for all children for $5 a day. Whereas infant care is particularly difficult to find in the U.S., Western European countries and Canada have reduced the need for it by providing paid parental leave so mothers can stay home for six months to a year or more.

"We've had a deep-seated ambivalence in this country about whether mothers should be working," Dr. Lombardi says. Policy has also been hindered by the fact that education is the legal responsibility of state and local governments. "Instead of ignoring the fact that most mothers work, the government should be investing in a system to support all children," Dr. Lombardi says.

Many states, however, are already leading the way with programs that can be replicated. Georgia has had universal pre-K, funded by the state lottery, since 1993. North Carolina's ten-year-old Smart Start program subsidizes high-quality care, and its TEACH and WAGES programs provide scholarships for caregivers and higher salaries for them if they commit to staying in the field. In fact, the Smart Start program -- which has reduced staff turnover and increased school readiness -- is being copied by 14 other states.

As far as leadership in Washington goes, though, there hasn't been enough focus on early-childhood education by either Democrats or Republicans, insists Congressman Platts. A big part of the problem, he argues, is that well-funded lobbyists representing other causes have been better able to influence legislators. However, this country's 65 million parents of children are the most powerful lobbyists for this cause. Mothers talk to friends and colleagues about child-care woes, but they are often reluctant to speak out -- perhaps because they feel guilty about needing help caring for their children.

If the government can put the well-being of military children first, why can't it do the same for civilian kids? All Americans need to get involved in this issue, not only by raising their voices but by voting for candidates who support the cause. "Child care must be an area of partnership -- among families, communities, corporations, and the government," says Republican Senator Olympia J. Snowe, of Maine. "Our children are our future, and it's our responsibility to make sure that their future is bright."

5 Ways to Take Action Now!
1. Let your legislators know that you want more federal, state, and local funds set aside for quality improvement for child care and for universal preschool. Better yet, says Congressman Todd Platts, make an appointment to meet your representative in person.
2. Sign on to support the principles of the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund's new "Family Initiative" -- a five- to ten-year campaign for affordable, quality child care, universal preschool, and after-school programs -- at www.familyinitiative.org.
3. Support fair wages for caregivers by becoming an associate member of the American Federation of Teachers' Child Care Workforce Alliance (www.aft.org/ccw).
4. Sign up for policy updates from Fight Crime: Invest in Kids -- a nonprofit organization of law enforcement officers and victims of violence -- and learn how to be an advocate in your community (www.fightcrime.org).
5. Vote for candidates who champion early education.