The Case for Child Care
Children and families need high-quality, affordable child care options to support school readiness for early learners and sustainable employment for parents. Child care supports healthy development and teaches fundamental skills that set children up for success in school and beyond.
Child care is also essential for many American families to be able to return to work. Family budgets are already being strained as many have been without work or had a decrease in income because of the virus. We need to ensure that all child care providers are supported – so that families are able to get back to work as soon as they’re able and the local economy can work toward recovery.
Why child care isn't accessible for families
The cost. The average annual cost for one infant in a center in Michigan is 19 percent for a median-income family and 54 percent for a minimum wage worker’s income. The cost average cost for an infant and a four year old is:
for in-home care
Making the Case
Child Care and the Benefits for our Kids
It all comes down to a feeling. As a parent, you can tell at drop-off or pick-up if your child is being loved and growing in their environment. …
Child Care
Child Care and the Working Family
(September 12, 2021) Child care has always been a never-ending battle for families because of availability and cost. There are not enough available …
Child Care
Early Education as a Profession
Preschool children at the Grand Rapids Early Discovery Center were interested in bugs; not just different types of bugs but also bug habitats. As …
Child Care
What it takes to be a child care provider
Being a child care provider and/or owning a child care business takes a lot of work, but is so valuable to our families and communities. There are …
Opinion
Child Care and the Case for the Economy
Having spent time working in both the workforce development sector and child care system over the past ten years, one theme that I’ve seen play out …
Press Release
Parents, advocates and business groups: Legislature must approve $1.4B…
Delaying investment in Michigan’s child care hurts workforce, economic development
Getting it Right Early Pays Off
For parents, quality child care means peace of mind. Knowing that their child’s health, safety, and happiness is being addressed while they are away means that as parents they can show up physically and mentally for their work. For many families, quality child care is key to balancing work and family.
Investing in high-quality childhood programs benefits not only young children but also society as a whole.
This graphic shows that the highest rate of economic return comes from the earliest investments in children, providing an eye-opening understanding that society invests too much money on later development when it is often too late to provide great value.
