CA Families Struggle to Find Affordable Child Care

By Desert Star Staff

California families are paying way too much for child care, according to the 2023 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation today.

The new report showed that single mothers in California pay 31% of the average median income for family-based child care, and couples pay 10%, the thirdhighest rate in the country.

Kelly Hardy, senior managing director of health and research at the nonprofit Children Now, said hundreds of thousands of California families need subsidized child care but cannot find it. She hopes the new state budget, being finalized this week, will address the issue.

“We’re looking for a 25% rate increase for all subsidized child care so that those providers can earn a living wage,” Hardy explained. “And that the 20,000 child care spaces scheduled to be released in 2023-24, be released today.”

The research ranked the Golden State 35th for children’s overall well-being and 43rd for economic well-being, issues linked to the high cost of housing. The report also found that nationwide, educational indicators worsened over the past few years, with fewer 3- and 4-year-olds in preschool and drops in the percentage of fourth graders proficient in reading and eighth graders working at grade level in math.

Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said Congress was on the right track when it expanded the Child Tax Credit during the pandemic and started sending families extra checks.

“It was the largest onetime reduction in child poverty in a single year that we’ve seen,” Boissiere pointed out. “And making permanent the expansion of the Child Tax Credit could significantly impact the number of children and families living in poverty.”

By Desert Star Staff

Firing up the grill can be a simple solution for creating various dishes in the comfort of your backyard or outdoor living space. Propane-powered grills are popular because they heat up quickly, requiring home chefs to spend less time preparing food. Plus, like indoor gas ranges, propane-powered grills allow greater control of heat levels for more precise cooking. However, it’s essential to take proper precautions around outdoor cooking appliances.

Consider these safety tips from Propane Education & Research Council experts before your next cookout, and learn more at Propane. com. Family Features

There is some good news: Teen births have continued to fall, and California has one of the country’s highest rates of health insurance for kids.

Disclosure: The Annie

E. Casey Foundation contributes to our fund for reporting on Children’s Issues, Education, Juvenile Justice, and Welfare Reform.

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