Parents need the infrastructure of reliable, affordable child
care to work productively, just as they need highways and roads
and public transportation. But this critical part of
California's infrastructure is at risk. While the state
subsidizes the child care expenses of 300,000 children, there
are nearly 200,000 children on waiting lists. Additionally,
California's child care providers are leaving the industry -
last year alone, 5,700 family child care providers closed their
small businesses. A bill that could help stabilize home-based
family child care, Assembly Bill 101, awaits Gov. Jerry Brown's
signature. It would authorize child care providers to choose
whether to be represented by a union, giving them a voice in
important decisions that affect quality, training and the
ability to effectively run their small businesses. Under one
organization, providers could work more effectively with the
state to develop solutions to inefficiencies in the current
system. For example, some providers have faced months-