Subscribe to Arizona Child Care Association  602-252-3845

10,000 Kids have been turned away from Childcare 12/2/09

January 4, 2010 by  
Filed under Subsidy News

10,000 Children Turned Away From Child Care

Number of working poor families receiving assistance plummets,

Since February, all eligible low income working families who applied for DES child care assistance have been turned away. These parents want to work to provide for their family and need a safe and reliable setting for their children, but cannot afford child care. The Department of Economic Security (DES) provided a subsidy that helps parents with a portion of the cost of care, with the parents’ paying based on a sliding fee schedule. As a result of budget cuts, DES implemented a so-called “waiting list” that denies child care for any new families. The program is steadily declining through attrition: those who leave are not replaced. With no end in sight, the continuation of the turn away list is having a devastating impact on the families, the workforce, and businesses.

The turn away list continues to grow.

  • As of November 27th there were 9,912 children on the turn away list.
  • With an average increase of 200 per week, by mid-week that number should hit 10,000.
  • If continued, at the current rate, 17,500 children will have been turned away by June 2010.

    • The number served in the program is dropping rapidly.

  • One year ago, 49,000 children received child care; in September only 35,000 received care.
  • The program has decreased by 29% – a reduction that is growing larger every day.
  • The continued decline could result in reductions of 50% by the end of the fiscal year.

    • There is no end in sight. Will families on the waiting list ever get assistance?

  • DES targeted the child care program for a $30 million cut.
  • If continued at the current rate of expenditure the cut will be $50 to $55 million.
  • What is the target for reductions to the child care program?

    • FAMILIES WANTING TO WORK ARE TURNED AWAY. The “waiting” list denies child care when parents need help to accept a job or keep working. The State will spend more on public assistance.

    THESE PARENTS HAVE NO GOOD OR SAFE OPTIONS. Without state assistance parents have no choice but to leave their children home alone or with siblings, or boyfriends, quit or reduce work hours, use caregivers who do not meet basic qualifications.

    THE CHILD CARE CUTS HAVE INCREASED UNEMPLOYMENT. Parents lose jobs and hope when denied a subsidy. Employers do not hold low wage jobs. Fewer children in care reduces the workforce. 8 fewer children in care eliminates one teacher; with 1,750 jobs lost since November. Reduced State support will result in centers closing, particularly in low income neighborhoods.

    STATE CHILD CARE CUTS SHORTSIGHTED – HURTING FAMILIES AND THE ECONOMY. The dramatic decline of public support for child care jeopardizes the child care infrastructure that all working parents rely on and that provides employers with a stable workforce:

    Protecting essential safety net work supports, allowing working poor families to place their children in safe settings, and making cost effective spending decisions is the right thing to do for children, families, employers, and the State. We call upon the Governor and the Legislature to remove children from the waiting list and stop turning away eligible low income parents who need child care assistance to work.

    Tags:

    Enter Google AdSense Code Here

    Comments

    Comments are closed.