GOAL : Shift public perception of child care to a necessary public investment that will enable economic growth and mobility for the region.

Quality, affordable child care is vital for growth and mobility in the Monterey Bay region’s economy. Its availability plays an increasingly important role in attracting and retaining talent for businesses. Parents can more easily participate in a career pathway or the workforce when they know their children are in a safe, nurturing environment; it enables them to focus, increase productivity, and improves the economic well-being of their family. It is especially important for women, who face many barriers to entering and remaining in the labor market.

High quality early childhood care and education includes highly engaged small group activities that are both structured and unstructured; emotionally attuned relationship between the caregiver/teacher and child; and an environment that connects to a child’s home language and culture, and promotes self-identity.”

– FRANCINE RODD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FIRST 5 MONTEREY COUNTY

The availability of affordable child care in the region is even more scarce. Families that are already furthest from economic opportunity are hit the hardest. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services advises that a family should not pay more than 7% of household income for child care. Since safe, quality child care includes appropriate ratios of adults to children, labor is the greatest contributor to the cost structure. Cost reductions cannot be made at the expense of safety or wages. The median hourly wage for a child care worker in California is $19.26. Despite the need for extensive credentialing, child care workers still earn less than a barista.

Low wages and relatively high credentialing requirements make it difficult to attract a sufficient early care and education workforce to meet these needs. San Juan Bautista, for example, has one no-cost quality child care center, one with a sliding scale for payment, and several in-home daycares. A shortage of qualified teachers means that all struggle to maintain proper teacher/child ratios and waiting lists can run a year or longer, said Jeanette Neal, Parent Education Coordinator and Organizer from Youth Alliance. Other contributing factors to accessibility are lack of: appropriate facilities, a cohesive system of business support and technical assistance, and public will for adequate funding.

In addition to recognizing the value of quality child care, the region also needs to foster understanding that child care and early education comprises an industry in and of itself. In Monterey County alone, there are almost 400 child care businesses. These businesses need the same types of specialized professional networks, support systems, and advocacy as other industries.

Wages for early childhood educators and caregivers should be improved along with the safety and well-being of the children they support.”

– FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ, THE MONTEREY BAY CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL