Child-Care Options

Are there enough good facilities?

Introduction

About 13 million children under age 6 get daily care from someone other than their parents. For many working families, finding child-care that stimulates their children's physical, emotional and intellectual development is a continuing problem. For others, simply finding an affordable facility is the challenge. Full-day care for one child can often cost more than the tuition at a public university. Still, child-care workers rank among the lowest paid in the country, which contributes to high staff turnover and high child-staff ratios. Several studies say U.S. child care is so poor it threatens children's health and development. But conservatives challenge the findings and urge Congress not to increase subsidies for child-care or set federal standards for providers.

(Photo courtesy of Friendship House)

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