OUR WORK
We are child care providers, industry advocates, and parents working together to build a strong, equitable child care system in California that values early educators and ensures quality child care for all. We’re on a mission to:
Ensure every family has access to high quality, affordable child care
We’re working to build a universal and equitable child care system that allows all families, regardless of their race, income or zip code, to access quality and affordable care in their communities.The benefits of high-quality child care are enormous. Yet, Black and Brown children are less likely to receive the early learning they need, leading to achievement gaps in their K-12 education and beyond. Children living in poverty also lag behind in access to quality early learning and care. Indeed, more than 1.8 million children who are eligible for state-subsidized care fail to receive it and fall through the cracks.
That is why we are working to increase the number of child care openings currently available to working parents and to ensure there is increased funding to ensure all families can access quality care.
Stabilize the child care industry in California
We’re working to increase pay, training, resources and support for family child care providers so that California can retain and attract the most talented early learning professionals and expand child care options for families.Family child care providers teach, nurture and support our youngest learners and their families. Despite their essential role, providers experience persistent financial hardship due to low pay, lack of health care benefits, limited access to training and inconsistent payment policies. Child care was already in crisis before the pandemic, but it is now near the breaking point. Thousands of providers were forced to close in 2020 due to COVID-19. Those remaining face increased costs for frequent sanitation, additional staff, supplies for distance learning and more.
In 2020, after years of never giving up, family child care providers won the right to negotiate with the state of California over pay rates, working conditions, access to health care benefits and increasing access to quality care. They formed Child Care Providers United. By coming together with one voice to advocate for quality child care for all, they are leading the way to stabilize child care in California.
Increase state and federal investment in our child care system
We’re working to establish dedicated state and federal funding to build an early care and education system in California that meets families’ needs and fully supports early care and education workers.That’s why we’re fighting to ensure that California and the federal government invest in our child care system. By making the wealthiest corporations and individuals pay their fair share, we can build a fully-funded, high-quality, universal early care and education system that all families can access and afford and that truly values the contributions of child care providers.