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Study tells of child care crisis and solutions
By Cecily Barnes
The conclusion of a brand new study--unveiled at a press conference in Campbell last week--came as no surprise to anyone with children: demand for child care exceeds the current supply, and unless something is done the situation will only get worse.
More than 11,000 children valley-wide who need child care cannot find it, said San Jose child care coordinator Deborah T. Simon.
"We are in the midst of a child care crisis," she said.
At Friday's press conference, local politicians and child-care advocates took turns behind a wooden podium to present Local Investment in Child Care (LINCC), a study on the economic impact of child care in the Santa Clara Valley prepared by the National Economic Development and Law Center.
Even if there were enough day care spots for children, few families, including those perceived to be middle- income, can afford the cost. According to the LINCC study, child care in the Santa Clara County is 42 percent higher than the state-wide average for children under two. In most counties, full-time child care for a child under two costs approximately $7,020 annually. In the Santa Clara Valley, it averages of $11.985.
In this county, many people pay between 36 and 40 percent of their income on child care, the report states. There are more than 13,484 children on the Council's waiting list for subsidized child care.
Speakers said everyone in the valley ought to be concerned about the issue, including childless employers with the bottom line on their mind. Parents worried about their children are less productive, according to the study, which said that factor could ultimately hurt Silicon Valley's economic vitality.
South Bay Labor Council CEO Amy Dean explained the problem in more personal terms.
"I can't do my job and be a steward of this community if I don't know that my Teddy is happy," she said, raising a chuckle from the audience.
Kelly DeGrange, an employee of the Benjamin Group, a company that provides on-site daycare, spoke about her improved work performance new that she knows her children are nearby and happy. She says she has lunch with them often, or will stop in to check on them.
"My children are in an environment that emphasizes learning through play and exploration and I'm able to make a contribution to a great company," she said.
County Supervisor Jim Beall, Assemblyman Mike Honda and Assemblyman Ted Lempert sat nearby, along with representatives of five other state lawmakers who are dealing with the child care issue in Sacramento.
Assemblyman Honda's bill [AB278] proposes a pilot program to reimburse the cost of child care for foster parents with children under six. Jim Cunneen's bill [AB153] looks at raising the salary of child- care workers. Pete Frusetta [AB174] plans a tax credit equaling 25 percent of a parent's child care costs. Assemblywoman Elaine Alquist and state Senator John Vasconcellos will also introduce legislation [AB105 and SB925] requiring a state master plan on the matter of child care to be due by Jan. 1, 2002.
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Campbell, California
