[WASHINGTON, DC] – Erica Phillips, the Executive Director of the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), recently participated in the “White House Meeting on Child Care” held in honor of Black History Month. The meeting, attended by Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden, Director of the Gender Policy Council Jennifer Klein, Director of the Office of Public Engagement Stephen Benjamin, Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, Representative Ayanna Pressley, and national leaders, spotlighted the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to supporting Black children, families, and early educators.
As Erica Phillips recently shared, many Black families face significant challenges in affording child care. On average, Black households allocate a quarter of their annual income ($46,774) to child care for one child. For very low-income Black households, child care costs for one child can eat up nearly half of their annual pay.
“NAFCC stands at the forefront of advocating for family child care concerns, ensuring that the voices of educators and families are heard at the highest levels of decision-making,” said Phillips. “We are honored to have the opportunity to bring the concerns and perspectives of family child care educators to the White House and key decision-makers. We are encouraged by the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to supporting Black children, families, and early educators, and we look forward to continued collaboration to improve the family child care landscape for all families.”
Recognizing the vital role of family child care educators, the Administration’s U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), recently announced a new rule aimed at reducing costs for families receiving child care subsidies and enhancing options for families across the nation. The new rule is a significant step toward addressing the challenges faced by families and educators in the child care sector. By updating the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), the nation’s largest funding stream to help families afford child care and improve quality in child care settings, the Administration aims to positively impact the lives of nearly 100,000 children, reducing their child care costs and expanding access to high-quality care.
NAFCC encourages President Biden and Vice President Harris to continue to make it a priority to address the systemic challenges facing the child care sector, such as high costs for families, inadequate access to high-quality care, and low wages for workers.
Phillips adds, “America’s relative lack of investment in child care at the national and local levels disproportionately hurts Black educators, children and families. On the heels of Black History Month, and beyond, we recognize the invaluable contributions of Black families and educators to our society, and NAFCC remains dedicated to advocating for policies and initiatives that prioritize the needs of family child care educators and families across the country.”
