A new Public Policy Associates issue brief outlines the challenges for creating a child care system that increases the standard of living for child care workers and provides affordable services to families that need them.
The brief explains some of the reasons that child care workers are typically paid low wages. For instance, state regulations limit the number of children that child care providers can have in their care per employee, which, in turn, limits their ability to bring in profit. With increased profit, providers may be able to increase wages. However, the answer is not as simple as relaxing staffing regulations, which may well create less-safe environments for children.
Market changes alone will not solve the problems, and government intervention must be part of the solution, concludes Craig Van Vliet, a PPA Research Associate II. Read the full recommendations in the brief, here.
PPA has done extensive research on child care policy and the child care assistance programs. For more information contact PPA Chief Operating Officer Colleen Graber at cgraber@publicpolicy.com.