MYTH:
There is no child care problem
This cannot be further from the truth. In fact,
Child care in America is the single most worry parents have. Many have had
bad experiences with childcare programs.
MYTH: All parents are satisfied with
their children's care.
Most parents constantly think about better
childcare facilities. Too few are usually satisfied. Parents have always raised
deep concerns about the quality of childcare and more often than not hoped
for better alternatives.
MYTH: The quality of child care doesn't
have much impact on a child's development.
Parents who feel this way are sadly mistaken.
A child grows immensely in his/her younger years. Childcare programs play
an unparallel role in the development of a child.
MYTH: High quality care is available
in every neighborhood and is not difficult to find.
Unfortunately, quite a few neighborhoods in
America do not have quality childcare programs, more so in the case of children
with special needs. Considerable research is required to find quality care.
MYTH: High quality care is affordable
for all families and the cost of care has not been increasing over time.
Truth is most low and middle income families
cannot afford quality child care. The costs have been rising consistently
in the past few years.
MYTH: Lack of child care is not a barrier
to work.
Most parents worry about their child's care
at work. This stems from the fact that parents are generally not satisfied
with the quality of child care.
MYTH: Parents can always find enough
child care.
Finding a high quality childcare is rare. Most
neighborhoods do not have a single quality childcare program, let alone enough
of them.
MYTH: Providing child care assistance
to low-income families has "interfered" with the market, leading
to shortages of infant care.
It is in fact the other way around. Helping
low income families has improved the quality as well as the number of childcare
facilities available.
MYTH: Unregulated care is not harmful.
In a recent survey, about 90% of parents said
they supported regulation of the child care industry. It is common sense that
basic health and safety protections - such as criminal background checks for
providers, and periodic monitoring for safety hazards can protect children
from harm.
