Members of congress have joined toddler and infant advocates on the importance of the investment in high-quality early child care. Senator Casey and Representatives Crowley and Frankel have just introduced The Child Care Access to Resources for Early-learning Act (Child C.A.R.E. Act), a bill that will ensure that all low-income families with infants and toddlers will have access to high quality child care by 2021.

Matthew Melmed, Executive Director of ZERO TO THREE, a national nonprofit committed to promoting the health and development of infants and toddlers, said in a recent statement, “Babies learn and develop at an astonishing rate during the first three years, with their brains forming 700 new neural connections each second. This learning happens through experiences with their caregivers, whether at home or at child care. For the millions of babies who spend part of their days in child care, the quality of that environment is crucial to their healthy development and our country’s future success.”

This bill could be an exciting breakthrough for the children and families here in Alabama. Congress is proposing a bold investment in our early child care system, which will generate substantial benefits in our communities.  National studies have found that most infant-toddler child care is low quality-a very small percentage is of the high quality care that children need to succeed. The Child C.A.R.E. Act could change the odds for many low-income children so that when they start school they are healthy and ready to learn.

This bill will focus on:

• Expanding the Child Care and Development Block Grant so that all families with children under the age of four who are living at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level will have access to quality child care.
• Ensuring that the Child Care and Development Block Grant provider payment rates are set at a level high enough to provide quality child care and fair wages for child care workers.
• Assisting infant and toddler child care providers in improving their programs and strengthening their skills.

We are excited to see Congress invest in our children and demonstrate their understanding of how critical the first few years of a child’s life really is.  To learn more about The Child Care Access to Resources For Early-learning Act (Child C.A.R.E Act) go to

http://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/press-release-presidents-budget-proposal-1.html or visit http://usa.childcareaware.org/2016/02/congress-to-introduce-new-child-care-legislation/.