child care - Digital Library Collections

CHAPTER
CHILD CARE
ood-quality child care and early education
programs are essential for millions of
American families. Thirteen million preschool
children-including 6 million infants
and toddlers-spend all or part of their day
being cared for by someone other than their parents.
In addition, millions of school-age children
need supervision during the hours when their parents
are at work and their schools are closed. Many
parents, however, are hard pressed to fmd affordable,
reliable child care that gives them peace of
mind about their children while they work.
The number of parents for whom adequate
child care is a constant concern has grown dramatically
over the past 25 years. In 1973 approximately
30 percent of mothers with children under age 6
were in the work force, as were more than 50
percent of mothers of school-age children. By 1997
these percentages had grown to 65 percent and 77
percent, respectively (see table 3.1). As recent
changes in the welfare laws compel recipients of
government assistance to work, the numbers will
keep climbing. In addition, because income is declining
for youn~ families (see chapter I), many
simply cannot make ends meet unless both parents
work. About half ofAmerica's families with young
children earn less than $35,000 per year, and the
Families and Work Institute reports that the majority
ofworking women provide half or more of their
household income. More than ever, American
families desperately need child care that is affordable
and of high quality.
Child Care: 1973 to 1998
Families in 1973 found little help from either the
government or the private sector as they
searched for child care that would enable them
to work and ensure their children's safety and wellbeing.
President Nixon had just vetoed the 1971
Comprehensive Child Development Act, which
would have provided $2 billion to help states and
local communities expand and improve families'
access to quality child care. Head Start, now a
widely acclaimed early childhood development
program, was a relatively new initiative serving
379,000 low-income children-many in summer
programs only. The federal government provided
only limited funds for child care services, primarily
for families receiving welfare.
CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND 37