Equity starts early
Tell the legislature to invest in essential early learning and child care
Equity starts early
Tell the legislature to invest in essential early learning and child care
To: Members of the Washington State Legislature
We urge you to prioritize additional funding for essential child care and early learning during this legislative session.
The COVID-19 crisis has at once severely undermined Washington’s early learning and child care system, which was already piecemeal and inadequate, and highlighted the critical importance of child care, as parents across the state carry the unprecedented burden of managing both work and their children full time.
71%of Washington residents say balancing work and child care is a very or extremely serious problem.
Over the next few months, the Legislature will have the opportunity to make critical investments in child care and early learning for Washington kids and families.
Better access to affordable, high quality child care won’t only reduce stress on working parents, it will also promote an equitable economic recovery for everyone in Washington.
- Ensuring essential child care services are available to essential workers
- Reducing economic and racial disparities made worse by the pandemic
- Providing every child with the opportunity they need to succeed
76%agree that child care and preschool are essential services that should be available to working families.
As Washington recovers from the pandemic, we can’t afford to leave working families behind.
Please support critical investments in essential early learning and child care services.
68%support increasing state funding to let parents affordably send kids to the early education program of their choice.
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Petition Text
To: Members of the Washington State Legislature
We urge you to prioritize funding for essential child care and early learning during the next legislative session.
The COVID-19 crisis has at once severely undermined Washington’s early learning and child care system, which was already piecemeal and inadequate, and highlighted the critical importance of child care, as parents across the state carry the unprecedented burden of managing both work and their children full time.
71%of Washington residents say balancing work and child care is a very or extremely serious problem.
Over the next few months, the legislature will have the opportunity to make critical investments in child care and early learning for Washington kids and families.
Better access to affordable, high quality child care won’t only reduce stress on working parents, it will also promote an equitable economic recovery for everyone in Washington:
- Ensuring essential child care services are available to essential workers;
- Reducing economic and racial disparities made worse by the pandemic;
- Providing every child with the opportunity they need to succeed.
76%agree that child care and preschool are essential services that should be available to working families.
As Washington recovers from the pandemic, we can’t afford to leave working families behind.
Please support critical investments in essential early learning and child care services.
68%support increasing state funding to let parents affordably send kids to the early education program of their choice.
What’s at stake for
Children
Kids deserve equitable care and learning opportunities, especially during times of uncertainty.
Bloomberg
If nearly 1/3
of child care providers closed permanently,
4 million
children would be left without space.
Families
Working parents carry emotional and economic burden without child care.
Forbes
81%
of mothers
said they needed child care in order to be able to do their job.
Economic recovery
Washington can’t get back on track unless parents can get back to work.
Washington Post
1 in 10 workers
are taking care of young kids on their own and will beunlikely to return to work full-time until schools and daycares fully reopen.
Child care providers
Child care providers are reaching record high demand, yet child care centers are closing at an alarming rate.
The Seattle Times
Soon nearly
50%
of child care centers
in the U.S. may be lost, according to the Center for American Progress.
Small businesses
Covid-19 puts a strain on entrepreneurs, forcing tough decisions.
EdSource
The number of women working as child care providers dropped by .25 million since may
representing a 20% drop in employment.
Racial and Gender Equity
The pandemic has exacerbated racial and gender inequities that existed before COVID-19.
Politico
Nationally, 93% of child care workers are women, and 45% are Black, Latino, or Asian. Since February 2020, women have lost a net
5.5 million jobs.
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