November 19, 2020 – ECFC signs on to recommendations urging the Administration to make child care and early learning a national priority
The strength of our nation is tied to the strength of our nation’s child care and early learning programs. The health of our nation is tied to the health and well-being of all families. The success of our nation is tied to the recognition of our shared responsibility to give each child a strong start in life, which includes ensuring the early educators who do this essential work as part of a 21st century caregiving and education workforce are valued and supported. A strong, equitable child care and early learning system not only benefits children, families, and early educators, but also keeps women in the workforce, increases racial equity, and strengthens our economy for everyone.
For this reason, 183 national early childhood and education organizations, including ECFC, have signed on to Child Care and Early Learning: Addressing the Urgent Crisis and Investing in the Future, policy recommendations urging the Administration to make child care and early learning a national priority by:
- Passing comprehensive COVID relief with substantial and targeted support for child care, HeadStart, and preschool programs;
- Including a big, bold proposal to provide affordable high-quality child care and early learning for all in the President’s Budget, and providing mandatory and discretionary funding to achieve the vision; and
- Establishing a new senior-level White House position focused on child care and early learning, supporting robust staffing in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Education (ED), and creating a national grassroots advisory council for child care and early learning.
ECFC believes this agenda includes a strong equity lens in alignment with our priorities and values. In keeping with our growing focus on parent and educator voice and leadership by those most proximate to issues, we are especially pleased with the recommendation for an official advisory committee of families and early educators to weigh in on policy and implementation matters at the federal level. Focused on early learning, this agenda is one important piece of a comprehensive policy agenda.
READ THE FULL RECOMMENDATIONS