Child care providers face challenges before they reopen

EMPLOYER --IT CAN BE TOUGHER --NOW MORE THANEVER TO MANAGE THEPRESSURE THESEEVENTS ARE CAUSING.AND FOR PARENTS ...THE PRESSURE ISMOUNTING WHEN ITCOMES TO DAY-CARE...TONIGHT ALA ERREBHIEXPLAINS WHAT STILLNEED TO BEACCOMPLISHEDBEFORE DAYCARESCAN REOPEN..

ANDWHAT KIND OFFUNDING PROVIDERSNEED TO STAYAFLOAT..PKG:BECAUSE OF THECOVID-19 PANDEMIC,NEARLY HALFCHILDCAREPROVIDERS HAD TOSHUT THEIR DOORS.BUT WITHCOMMUNITIESREOPENING,PROVIDERS ARESTRUGGLING"MANY WILL NOTACTUALLY BE ABLE TOREOPEN WITHOUTASSISTANCE,"SENATOR KIRSTENGILLIBRAND ISCALLING FOR A $50BILLION CHILD CARESTABILIZATION FUNDTO SUPPORTPROVIDERSSTRUGGLING TO STAYOPEN...WITH LIMITEDREVENUE DUE TO THEPANDEMIC.SHE SAYS ECONOMICESTIMATES FOUNDTHE CHILD CAREINDUSTRY WILL NEED$9.6 BILLION A MONTHTO OPERATE, ANDMAKE SURE THOSEWHO HAD TO CLOSEARE ABLE TO STAY INBUSINESS ANDREOPEN."FOR EVERY ONEDOLLAR INVESTED INCHILD CARE, $1.86 ISDERIVED IN ECONOMICRETURN.

MORE THANFOR RETAIL ORCONSTRUCTION,"WITHOUT ASSISTANCE,THE INDUSTRY COULDLOSE FOUR MILLIONCHILD CARE SLOTS."HERE IN NEW YORK,THAT WOULD MEANTTHAT THE AVAILABILITYOF CHILD CARE COULDDROP FROM ONE SLOTFOR EVERY FOURCHILDREN, TO ONESLOT FOR EVERYEIGHT."THIS COULD KEEPCOUNTLESS PARENTSFROM GOING BACK TOWORK."IT HAS BEEN SAIDTHAT IT TAKES AVILLAGE TO RAISE ACHILD.

PRIOR TOCOVID MY CHILDRENHAD A VILLAGE,INCLUDING A DAYCARE CENTER, ANELEMENTARY SCHOOLAND AFTER-SCHOOLPROGRAMS. THESEACTIVITIES ANDPROVIDERS MADE UPAN ELABORATE CHILDCARE NETWORK THATALLOWED BOTH MYHUSBAND AND I TOWORK FULL-TIME.""I'M FRUSTRATED ATTHE LACK OFSUPPORT, THE LACKOF SUPPLIES AND THELACK OF FINANCIALRESOURCES.

AND I'MSAD FOR THE STAFFTHAT I'VE LOST IN MYEMPLOYMENT DURINGTHIS PANDEMIC, ANDFOR THE PARENTSCRYING IN MY OFFICEBECAUSE THEY CAN'TAFFORD CHILD CARE,ANOTHER ISSUEPROVIDERS SAY THEYFACE IS CDCGUIDELINES TOSAFELY REOPEN.SENATOR GILLIBRANDSAYS SHE SENT ALETTER TO THE CDCTO WORK DIRECTLYWITH CHILD CAREPROVIDERS ANDADDRESS THEIRCONCERNSIN BUFFALO, AE, 7EWN.