Universal child care could add billions to the economy, studies show - Philadelphia Citizen
By Jessica Blatt Press
In Massachusetts, which was a pioneer in affordable health care well before Obamacare, legislators last month introduced a promising bill, Common Start, that addresses these child care issues thoughtfully. The bill calls for, among other things, early education and care for children from birth through age 5, as well as after- and out-of-school time for children ages 5 to 12, and for children with special needs through age 15.
It also calls for lower-income families to be able to access high-quality care for free, with no one paying more than 7 percent of their income towards care. And it calls for programs that are available in early education and child care centers, private homes, and schools—the same settings where early education and child care is provided now; that provision ensures that smaller and community providers aren’t pushed out of the market.
Massachusetts’ mindfulness came from holding multiple community forums, and building a comprehensive coalition: They brought together unions, community organizations, existing child care providers from across the spectrum, as well as parents and grassroots advocates.