Lawmakers address child care
For the MVI
“Inadequate infant and toddler child care imposes substantial and long-lasting consequences in Pennsylvania.” That’s the take-away message from a new report issued by Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Investment Commission and partner organization ReadyNation.
Titled “Growing Tomorrow’s Economy Means Investing in Child Care Today,” the report was the focus of a roundtable discussion hosted by SmartKids Child Care & Learning Center in Washington, Pa., with state lawmakers.
The report is among the first to demonstrate how gaps in Pennsylvania’s child care system are causing financial headaches for employers and taxpayers, as well as working parents — costing all three groups about $2.5 billion a year in lost earnings, productivity, and tax revenue.
The $2.5 billion cost estimate is based on the results of a new survey of Pennsylvania working parents with children younger than 3. Survey results provided evidence of the various ways in which parents’ work commitments, performance, and opportunities are diminished by problems with child care.
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