On Monday, May 9th, child care providers, parents and families across the country are hosting A Day Without Child Care: A National Day of Action. For generations, we have been fighting for equitable access to affordable child care and better pay and working conditions for providers but our needs are still not being met. That’s why we’re taking action for:
- Living wages for child care providers
All child care providers should be paid a living wage and compensation on par with K-12 teachers to early care and education workers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2021) “Child Care professionals in a center were earning an average of $12.40 or $25,790 annually.”
- An equitable childcare system built on racial justice
We need culturally appropriate, accessible care in our communities, where all people who take care of our children are paid living wages. We must do away with eligibility requirements that impede access and disproportionately affect low wage workers, women and people of color, such as work requirements and intrusive application processes.
- Affordable childcare for all families
We need to guarantee child care for every family who needs it, whether black, white, or brown. According to Child Care Aware of America (2020) in New York State,” the average price for two children in center-based child care is 91.61% more than the average annualized rent cost and 13.81% more than the average annualized mortgage cost.
The Child Development Council serves both Cortland and Tompkins Counties.
In Cortland County, child care centers alone serve over 500 employed parents who depend on child care facilities to be able to work and contribute to the wellbeing of the economy. These centers serve over 270 children between the ages of 6 weeks and 5 years old. They employ 71 full time staff.
In Tompkins county we have a total of 999 staff in all modalities of registered or licensed care. Currently we have 20 Daycare Centers, 15 Family Daycare programs, 22 Group Family Daycare programs and 16 School Age Childcare programs. Without Childcare there would be 999 Early Educators out of work as well as leaving 1,396 children without quality childcare. Currently, Tompkins County already has 2,900 children under the age of 6 that do not have access to licensed/registered childcare.
This is an economic issue that needs to be addressed with long term solutions. We have received ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds that helped programs and families stabilize themselves and get back to the workforce. However that money is gone and in order to sustain childcare and the economy, to allow families and businesses to thrive, we need long term investments.
Join us on this day of Advocacy. There are many ways you can support this event. Please go to https://communiA Day Without Child Care Advocacy Daytychangeaction.org/childcare/ to find out how.
Click on the link below to print some tags to wear in support of this advocacy day!!