Child care facilities are essential components of the nation’s infrastructure, ensuring parents can work and their children attend safe, healthy, and developmentally appropriate child care settings. Access to quality child care allows parents to remain in the workforce, achieve economic stability, and contribute to the economy. Investment in child care means more income for families, including quality food, early education opportunities, and savings. The Child Care for Working Families Act would invest in the United States’ care infrastructure, growing the economy while lowering child care costs for the middle class.
The U.S. lags behind many other countries in both paid leave and accessible childcare, making universal childcare crucial for the economy. After periods of paid leave and preceding preschool, families face gaps in affordable, high-quality, and stable early care. LIIF proudly endorses the Child Care is Infrastructure Act, which presents a critical opportunity to build a sustainable child care infrastructure system that increases access to quality childcare and early years provision.
Providing livable wages for child care workers and more funding for centers raises the availability and quality of care they receive. Child care is fundamental to the economy and requires investment in the buildings and people central to the Early Childhood Education (ECE) ecosystem. High-quality childcare access empowers parents to maintain stable employment and income, which helps to sustain their family.
Childcare infrastructure is necessary for the social functioning of society and is often overlooked in conversations about infrastructure. Labor unions play an important role in addressing the need for child care infrastructure, as it serves as a community asset that benefits children and families and promotes the well-being of entire communities.
📹 What is the most important influence on child development | Tom Weisner | TEDxUCLA
If you could do one thing – the most important thing – to influence the life of a young child, what would that be (it’s likely not what …
Why is infrastructure important to us?
USAID is a global organization that focuses on infrastructure development, aiming to build a foundation for global growth and development. It supports the design, rehabilitation, and construction of infrastructure in over 60 countries, including energy, water, sanitation, transportation, schools, and health facilities. Through investments abroad, USAID builds local capacity to operate and maintain infrastructure, making countries more resilient to shocks and reducing the need for emergency humanitarian assistance.
The organization also focuses on building systems that sustain people, knowledge, institutions, and resources. Affordable, reliable, and sustainable infrastructure, including roads, water treatment, and power supplies, underpins nearly all of USAID’s development objectives. USAID helps partner countries apply globally accepted standards and best practices in infrastructure development, including establishing strong legal and regulatory frameworks to attract private investment and expertise.
What are the benefits of infrastructure?
The transport sector is crucial for a thriving economy, as it facilitates the movement of goods and services, enabling access to work, schools, and recreational activities. A well-developed transport system is essential for sustainable economic growth, especially in rural areas. The DBSA invests in transport systems to ensure safe, efficient, and sustainable systems, boosting economic activity and job opportunities.
Infrastructure spending on ICT is also essential for South Africa’s competitiveness and trade. Adequate infrastructure development is necessary for creating jobs, improving efficiency, and boosting productivity. The DBSA supports businesses in modernizing their infrastructure and supporting innovation.
The social sector, which includes health, housing, and education, plays a significant role in the economy. Infrastructure development is necessary for human development, ensuring quality education, reducing unemployment, alleviating poverty, and promoting economic growth. Improvements in the health system will ensure efficient equipment, efficient healthcare, and job creation. With the DBSA’s support, citizens can benefit from poverty alleviation, job creation, proper housing conditions, and quality healthcare.
What is the most important part of child development?
The field of neuroscience has revealed that the period between birth and age three represents a critical window of opportunity for a child’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. To this end, parents should endeavor to provide a nurturing and responsive environment, encouraging activities such as verbal interaction, reading, and musical expression.
Do Scandinavian countries have free childcare?
Childcare in Nordic countries is subsidized and paid monthly based on household income and child number. The oldest child costs 3 percent of the household’s gross income, followed by the second child and third child. Starting with the fourth child, no fee is paid for preschool or educational care. High-income families pay SEK 1425/child per month, while low-income families pay SEK 750/child per month.
Which country has the most expensive childcare costs?
The United Kingdom is the most expensive country in which to provide childcare for couples whose income is 67% of the average wage, with the Czech Republic and Cyprus also ranking highly in this regard. For couples whose income is at the minimum wage level, it is the second most expensive country in this regard. The Nordic countries are regarded as exemplars in the global context of childcare provision.
How does childcare work in Norway?
Norway allows children to attend publicly subsidized kindergartens from the age of one, with the majority attending center-based ECEC provision. Municipalities are responsible for assigning places to parents or guardians and securing enough kindergarten places. The Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training is responsible for developing kindergartens, while the Ministry of Education and Research oversees kindergartens. The Framework Plan for Kindergartens sets learning content and tasks across the ECEC phase, for both center- and home-based and public and private provision.
According to the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training, 50 of children attend a private kindergarten, with the owner responsible for managing it in accordance with law and regulations. The municipality is responsible for inspection of both private and public kindergartens.
How does the environment affect child development?
The physical environment, including housing, pollution exposure, and neighborhood quality, has been demonstrated to exert a significant influence on a child’s health, learning, and behavior. Furthermore, research findings indicate that these factors also exert a notable impact on their psychosocial aspects.
Which country has the best child care system?
UNICEF has revealed that many of the world’s wealthiest countries lack affordable, quality childcare. Luxembourg, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, and Germany are the top countries in terms of childcare provisions, while Slovakia, the United States, Cyprus, Switzerland, and Australia rank lowest. The report, published by UNICEF’s Office of Research – Innocenti, ranks countries across the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Union (EU) based on their national childcare and parental leave policies.
The report emphasizes the need for government investment in family-friendly policies, including childcare, to ensure parents have the necessary time, resources, and services to support their children at every stage of their development.
Which country in Europe has the best childcare?
UNICEF has revealed that many of the world’s wealthiest countries lack affordable, quality childcare. Luxembourg, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, and Germany are the top countries in terms of childcare provisions, while Slovakia, the United States, Cyprus, Switzerland, and Australia rank lowest. The report, published by UNICEF’s Office of Research – Innocenti, ranks countries across the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Union (EU) based on their national childcare and parental leave policies.
The report emphasizes the need for government investment in family-friendly policies, including childcare, to ensure parents have the necessary time, resources, and services to support their children at every stage of their development.
Why is child development important in childcare?
Healthy social-emotional skills are crucial for children’s social-emotional development, enabling them to make friends, work with others, and interact with the world. Understanding feelings is essential for healthy social-emotional development. Resources like Teaching Your Child About Feelings, Teaching Your Child to Identify and Express Emotions, Head Start, and the American Academy of Pediatrics offer information on how to support children’s social-emotional development.
Strategies to help children express themselves appropriately are also provided. Head Start offers information on social and emotional development, while the American Academy of Pediatrics offers resources to help parents support their child’s social and emotional growth.
What country spends the most on childcare?
The US spends 0. 4 of its GDP on early education and childcare, compared to 0. 8 for the average OECD country. Iceland spends more than the US, at about 1. 7 of the country’s GDP. A 2021 New York Times analysis found that the US spends roughly $500 a year per child on early childhood care, compared to over $14, 000 for the average OECD country. Cindy Lehnhoff, director of the National Child Care Association, said it would take federal government investment to balance childcare spending with other budget priorities. Additional childcare funding could have been provided through the Build Back Better legislation in 2021.
📹 Chuck Schumer: Childcare IS infrastructure
Sen. Chuck Schumer took to the Senate floor to discuss the importance of childcare as infrastructure.
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