Child Care Providers Deserve More

Child care providers deserve fair pay, affordable health care insurance, paid sick days and a substitute child care provider and financial assistance for training opportunities.

That's what The Quality Child Care for America Act will provide.

Help us win this legislation by sending a message to your senators and representative in Congress asking them to co-sponsor this important legislation.

Send the below message. Take action now.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Please co-sponsor The Quality Child Care for America Act

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am and child care provider. I am writing to urge you to cosponsor The Quality Child Care for America Act (H.R. 3879/ S. 2187). This bill would add $200 million a year to the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) for workforce initiatives to states. These funds will improve the quality of child care children receive in our country by ensuring that child care providers have access to needed training, health care and mentoring.

Child care providers, on average, currently earn less than the federal poverty level for a family of four and are much less likely to have health insurance than the workforce as a whole. These factors contribute to an alarming 35 percent turnover rate in the profession.

Adequate funding for child care provider workforce initiatives is a vital component of developing and maintaining a high-quality, stable workforce.

Please stand for quality child care by standing with the providers who do this important work.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
February 22, 2008


Background Information

Child care providers, on average, currently earn less than the federal poverty level for a family of four. Providers are much less likely to have health insurance than the workforce as a whole — 27 percent of child care workers have no health insurance compared to 16 percent of the general female workforce. These factors contribute to an alarming turnover rate in the profession — 35 percent. Adequate funding for child care provider workforce initiatives is a vital component of developing and maintaining a high-quality, stable workforce.

The Quality Child Care for America Act (H.R. 3879/ S. 2187) bill would add $200 million a year to the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) for workforce initiatives to states. These funds will improve the quality of child care children receive in our country by ensuring that child care providers have access to needed training, health care, and mentoring.

States would be able to direct this funding to provide for increased compensation for child care providers; health insurance; paid leave; substitute care for providers participating in training opportunities; compensation incentives for providers who achieve advanced education or become certified; financial assistance for training; technical and financial assistance to meet state regulatory requirements; retirement benefits; and mentoring and career planning.