News
News Coverage of Child Care For All Coalition Launch
Our coalition launch on May 10th was covered by WBEZ, Univision, and Politico. Check out the coverage below.
WBEZ: One in five early childhood educators in Illinois live in poverty, new report finds
This article includes:
- Key findings of the report are outlined, including:
- a family with more than one young child could spend between $20,000 and $50,000 per year on child care
- 58% of the population lives in an area where there aren’t enough nearby child care providers
- From 2012 to 2019 in Illinois, licensed family child care capacity declined 20% and the number of license-exempt family child care homes declined by 65% — a number only exacerbated by the pandemic.
- Justin Russell, a single parent who is part of the Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation (SOUL) is quoted. “An entire week’s pay would’ve been just enough to pay for daycare,” Russell said. “It’s a nightmare having to worry about having to miss a shift and not being able to afford food or housing or a bill because you can’t afford child care.”
- Tosha Kelly-Rushton, a daycare owner with more than 20 years of experience & an SEIU Healthcare member is quoted. “Illinois doesn’t reimburse child care providers nearly enough. If we run our own center home child care … we never make more than $7 an hour per child.” She added that amount does not include the hours she works after the children go home. If corporations pay what they owe in taxes, Kelly-Ruhston said, “we could have free child care for all and every child care worker could receive a living wage and benefits.”
- Corporations are not paying what they owe as their workers are relying on public dollars for child care assistance. The coalition’s report said the top three employers of parents who participate in the state’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) are Walmart, McDonalds and Amazon.
Univision: Activistas en Chicago le exigen al gobierno más apoyo para los trabajadores de cuidado infantil
Miembros de la coalición de cuidado infantil en el estado de Illinois se manifestaron en conferencia de prensa sobre la situación que atraviesa el gremio y señalaron que el pago de sus trabajos es uno de los grandes problemas. De acuerdo con datos del Economic Policy Institute, una familia en el condado de Cook gasta un promedio de 1,610 dólares al mes por el cuidado de sus hijos.
WBEZ Reset: New Report, Coalition Highlight Urgent Need for Affordable Child Care
GUESTS: Brynn Seibert, vice president at SEIU Healthcare Illinois and director of the Child Care Division
Tosha Kelly, child care provider and SEIU Healthcare Illinois Executive Board Member
Politico Playhbook Illinois: One in five early childhood educators in Illinois live in poverty, a new report finds
Includes link to first WBEZ piece shown above.
Realated
Chicago Tonight Panel Discusses Child Care For All and New Report
