Screenshot: Child Care Aware

 
How can the federal government’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan (ARP) help rebuild child care? Child Care Aware has listed answers on a comprehensive webpage with infographics and other tools.

“As an advocate, it is important that your voice is heard on how states use the funds from the ARP Act,” Child Care Aware says. “You know what policies implemented during the pandemic helped stabilize child care and what policies can help build a better system moving forward. It is important to ensure that funds are administered in an equitable, efficient and transparent manner.”

The goal for advocates: encourage states to use the federal relief funds in wise, strategic ways.

“Advocates will need to bring a list of policy suggestions for the state to consider supporting. One way to highlight the need for specific policies is through sharing stories collected from child care providers and families. They can use their own words to talk about the hardships they faced during the pandemic and which temporary policies helped them the most.”

“Relevant data on the number of operating providers, closures, workforce and demand are also helpful for these conversations.” Child Care Aware explains how to access current state plans for using federal funds.

The webpage also has a checklist that advocates can use to guide their conversations with policymakers.

There is a section on how the American Rescue Plan can impact child poverty.

And there are talking points on how to redirect difficult conversations. For example, if a policymaker says:

“Child care funds should focus on short-term solutions. If we focus on long-term solutions, we could create a fiscal cliff.”

An advocate can give a number of answers, including:

“The needs of the child care community are great and have only grown through this pandemic. We cannot return to the same broken system of child care that existed before the pandemic.”

 Or:

“Long before COVID-19, the U.S. child care system was in trouble. Families struggled to access affordable high-quality care. Providers weren’t paid enough and faced dire financial situations due to the high cost of providing care before the pandemic even hit. The supply of licensed child care was already sparse. Faced with COVID-19, the already fragile child care system shattered.”

Or:

“There’s widespread support among voters. One silver lining of the pandemic is that it amplified how important child care is to ensure the success of our economy. Polls continue to show overwhelming support for child care and there is strong interest in support of all relief efforts to date.”

As you learn about ARP, be sure to plug into policy conversations in your state. Here in Massachusetts, the Department of Early Education and Care recently held two info sessions about its plans to distribute ARP funds to programs via the new Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) formula. Be sure to visit the EEC engagement page for future opportunities.

And be sure to check out the Child Care Aware’s webpage and resources, and join the effort to ensure that “the funds from the ARP are used to rebuild and improve the child care system.”