Childcare remains a critical issue for New Jersey’s working-class communities. Federal funding cuts and systemic gaps in access threaten to destabilize families and the early education workforce. This town hall will provide a platform for families, Family Childcare Providers, and center based childcare workers to share the challenges that impact their lives and present legislative solutions.

Compensation for early care and education professionals has long lagged behind that of K-12 educators, despite the critical role they play in supporting children and families. At the same time, addressing low pay is complicated by the already high cost of child care for families. Washington, D.C.’s Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund offers a groundbreaking solution to this challenge, aiming to increase pay and address longstanding inequities within the workforce. Join us for a one-hour virtual learning session to explore the implementation, impact, and potential for replicating this innovative policy.

On June 20, 2023, lawmakers united together and passed Vermont’s most  comprehensive child care bill into law. The 2023 Child Care Bill – Act 76 – makes Vermont’s child care system one of the most expansive in the nation. The bill promises to stabilize Vermont’s child care sector and make a quantum leap forward in providing access to affordable, quality child care for all Vermont families who need it.

The National Institute for Early Education Research has identified a framework that outlines critical components for enhancing infant and toddler development and well-being. This framework is grounded in developmental theory and evaluation of effective practices/initiatives, providing a roadmap for identifying effective programmatic goals and building on the Grow New Jersey Kids (GNJK) quality rating and improvement system.

Family child care plays an important role in the child care landscape, though often gets less attention when it comes to policy discussions. When selecting child care, parents may consider their own beliefs and values, the child care options in their own community, and their ability to afford the options that are available to them. In contrast to with licensed child care centers, family child care providers may offer less expensive services, flexible hours, community based locations, smaller groups of children, and more comfortable environments for parents and children.

Child care subsidies are provided through the Child Care Development Block Grant, a federal program. States are charged with administering the program to help support families with accessible, affordable, quality child care. States vary significantly in how they implement various aspects of the program: income eligibility, subsidy rates, cost burden to families, work requirements, etc. Policy makers and advocates often look to their state’s Child Care Assistance Program as a pathway to improve access to child care for low- and moderate-income families.